Alexei Lubimov - Messe Noire: Stravinsky, Shostakovich, Prokofiev, Scriabin (2005)

Messe Noire was the second ECM recital debut for Russian pianist Alexei Lubimov, following his enigmatic debut, Der Bote. It remains one of his freshest and most luminous programs, forging from the composers of his homeland what Reinhard Schulz describes in his liner notes as “a cosmos in which free spirits gather together.” The image is apt, for in the “Hymn” of Igor Stravinsky’s Serenade in A (1925), which opens the disc, we do indeed encounter a galactic ocean of impressions. From the gentle reverie of lost love to the grumbling belly of despair, it encapsulates Stravinsky’s penchant for emotional directness, as in the processual Romanza that follows and all the way through to the frayed Finale. The Sonata No. 2 op. 61 (1943) of Dmitri Shostakovich rather chooses ebullience as its quill, and marks with it a playful inter-relationship between the left and right hands in a volleying of motifs. An off-kilter Largo leads us to a plaintive Moderato, which provides one of the more sustained, gloomier contractions on the album.

Sergey Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 7 op. 83 (1942) introduces characteristic buoyancy before quickly fading into a quieter spell, inhabiting the after-effect with the oral passion of a missionary. This ebb and flow of pensive dips is the sonata’s overall modus operandi, epitomized most movingly in the Andante. This dynamism is only strengthened by Lubimov’s mature sense of syncopation. The boisterous reverie that is the final Precipitato brings that same play of weight and lightness to bear on more wistful statements. After this rousing feast, we are treated to desert in the form of Alexander Scriabin’s Sonata No. 9 op. 68 (1913). Marking time with seemingly reserved energy, its gorgeous contours actually build toward an arresting resolution.

What connects these four towering works is precisely what separates them. Over a spread of personal and social politics three decades in the making, they remain unscathed (if somewhat neglected), breathing with vibrant life at Lubimov’s fingertips.

Review by Tyran Grillo, ECMreviews.com

Lubimov's dedication of this recording gives us an insight into his pedigree: 'This album is dedicated to my teachers and mentors Anna Artobolevskaya, Heinrich Neuhaus, Lev Naumov and Maria Yudina'. Lubimov (b. 1944) was one of the great Neuhaus' last pupils; the name of Maria Yudina shines brightly in the list, too.

It shows. This is sterling pianism. Lubimov clearly feels these pieces from his innermost being. The recording, as one might expect from this source, is of the utmost clarity. It is close, too, something that suits the Stravinsky very well. One is drawn into the animation of the work's beginning. Lubimov understands the various 'faces' of the second movement Romanza which is playful and disjunct against chorale-like sections that under Lubimov's fingers carry lovely weight. The 'Rondoletto' is fast and active but, importantly, unrushed. In fact it is a joy, with inner voices interestingly but not self-consciously brought out. The finale is an oasis of peace, its delicacy reminiscent of finest bone china.

There is a backbone of steel running through the Shostakovich. Lubimov's echt-Russian technique, with its characteristic fingers of steel, emphasises a sense of determination. There is a real sense of Soviet arrival at 1'30, and a sense of rightness everywhere, from the powerhouse moments to passages of the utmost delicacy. When Shostakovich uses the barest of two-part textures, they speak of a loneliness and emptiness that goes straight to the heart. Nowhere is the sheer power of the single line heard to better effect than in the Largo slow movement (desolate and fragile), and the evidently huge care injected into accentuation in the finale is jaw-dropping. Lubimov is in no hurry in this dark, uncomporomisingly angular world. Emil Gilels' 1965 recording (taken down in Carnegie Hall. RCA Red Seal 09026 63587 2) remains my first preference here but it is a tribute to Lubimov when I say it is a very close-run thing indeed.

The Prokofiev Seventh Sonata pits Lubimov against the famous Pollini recording on DG. Lubimov begins mercurially, the ensuing explosive violence implicit. Perhaps Lubimov triumphs most in his unapologetic projection of the isolation of the composing voice. If his fingerwork is not as steely as Pollini's and he over-emotes occasionally in the slow movement - not 100% hypnotic - his finale certainly has plenty of bite (although he does not out-Pollini Pollini).

Scriabin's 'Black Mass' Sonata speaks of a world about as elusive as they come. Shifts of mood occur frequently and require quicksilver agility of mind, something Lubimov is fully up to. Here Lubimov seems at his most exciting, perhaps because the music excites his imagination the most?

This is an absolutely tremendous disc, from all angles. This will be one of my Records of the Year, of that I am sure.

Review by Colin Clarke, MusicWeb-international.com

Exact Audio Copy V1.0 beta 3 from 29. August 2011

Отчёт EAC об извлечении, выполненном 26. июля 2013, 21:02

Алексей Любимов / Messe Noire

Дисковод: HL-DT-STDVDRAM GT33N Adapter: 1 ID: 0

Режим чтения : Достоверность
Использование точного потока : Да
Отключение кэша аудио : Да
Использование указателей C2 : Нет

Коррекция смещения при чтении : 103
Способность читать области Lead-in и Lead-out : Нет
Заполнение пропущенных сэмплов тишиной : Да
Удаление блоков с тишиной в начале и конце : Нет
При вычислениях CRC использовались нулевые сэмплы : Да
Интерфейс : Встроенный Win32-интерфейс для Win NT/2000

Выходной формат : Пользовательский кодировщик
Выбранный битрейт : 1024 kBit/s
Качество : Высокий
Добавление ID3-тега : Да
Утилита сжатия : C:\Program Files (x86)\Exact Audio Copy\Flac\flac.exe
Дополнительные параметры : -8 -V -T "TITLE=%title%" -T "ARTIST=%artist%" -T "ALBUMARTIST=%albumartist%" -T "ALBUM=%albumtitle%" -T "DATE=%year%" -T "TRACKTOTAL=%numtracks%" -T "GENRE=%genre%" -T "COMMENT=%comment%" -T "PERFORMER=%albuminterpret%" -T "COMPOSER=%composer%" %source% -o %dest%


TOC извлечённого CD

Трек | Старт | Длительность | Начальный сектор | Конечный сектор
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1 | 0:00.00 | 3:22.53 | 0 | 15202
2 | 3:22.53 | 2:54.15 | 15203 | 28267
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4 | 8:42.20 | 3:00.23 | 39170 | 52692
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11 | 57:09.03 | 8:45.35 | 257178 | 296587


Характеристики диапазона извлечения и сообщения об ошибках

Выбранный диапазон

Имя файла O:\!Rips\Алексей Любимов - Messe Noire.wav

Пиковый уровень 100.0 %
Скорость извлечения 2.0 X
Качество диапазона 100.0 %
CRC теста C83CF9D2
CRC копии C83CF9D2
Копирование… OK

Ошибок не произошло


AccurateRip: сводка

Трек 1 : извлечено точно (доверие 3) [CD54B589] (AR v2)
Трек 2 : извлечено точно (доверие 3) [B9D2DE24] (AR v2)
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Трек 11 : извлечено точно (доверие 3) [E7B24E1A] (AR v2)

Все треки извлечены точно

Конец отчёта

==== Контрольная сумма отчёта BD43F31C4445D41C2ED9731C3EBFF8C37F6083727C52390D619045BA0EAA3F88 ====

foobar2000 1.2 / Dynamic Range Meter 1.1.1
log date: 2015-10-21 20:26:02

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Analyzed: Dmitry Shostakovich / Messe Noire
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
DR13 -2.14 dB -20.97 dB 7:24 05-Sonata No.2 op.61 - Allegretto
DR13 -10.85 dB -30.56 dB 6:06 06-Sonata No.2 op.61 - Largo
DR15 -1.64 dB -23.02 dB 12:28 07-Sonata No.2 op.61 - Moderato (con moto)
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Number of tracks: 3
Official DR value: DR14

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 398 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Analyzed: Igor Stravinsky / Messe Noire (1-4)
Sergey Prokofiev / Messe Noire (5-7)
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

DR Peak RMS Duration Track
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
DR13 -3.16 dB -21.89 dB 3:23 01-Serenade in A - Hymn
DR13 -9.32 dB -26.64 dB 2:54 02-Serenade in A - Romanza
DR12 -4.41 dB -20.68 dB 2:25 03-Serenade in A - Rondoletto
DR13 -6.86 dB -24.82 dB 3:00 04-Serenade in A - Cadenza Finale
DR15 -0.46 dB -20.99 dB 8:51 08-Sonata No.7 op.83 - Allegro inquieto
DR15 -0.10 dB -22.16 dB 6:35 09-Sonata No.7 op.83 - Andante caloroso
DR13 0.00 dB -18.15 dB 4:02 10-Sonata No.7 op.83 - Precipitato
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Number of tracks: 7
Official DR value: DR13

Samplerate: 44100 Hz
Channels: 2
Bits per sample: 16
Bitrate: 398 kbps
Codec: FLAC
================================================================================