Ekaterina Derzhavina

EKATERINA DERZHAVINA
Russian pianist (b 1967)

Ekaterina Derzhavina studied in Moscow with Yuri Polunin (age 6), Valeria Polunina (age 14), and ultimately (age 19) at the Moscow Gnessins Academy of Music with Vladimir Tropp. She subsequently taught at the Gnessins Academy, and since 2003 she has been teaching at the Moscow Tchaikovsky Conservatory.

Ekaterina Derzhavina's playing is one of the most perfect examples of the contemporary style which tends to eschew flamboyant individual expression of any kind. Yet she manages, with subtlety, to bring out every nuance of the music, and to my ear, which relishes the surprising and sometimes shocking individuality of bygone eras, her exquisite playing leaves nothing to be desired. Her performance of the Haydn sonatas is miraculous. The delicacy, the detail, and the understated drama of this music has me rethingking the whole Haydn thing and has underscored for me the direct relationship of Haydn to Beethoven which essentially bypasses Mozart's contributions to the genre.

The only disappointment I find in what I have heard of Ekaterina Derzhavina's playing is in the Debussy Préludes. The capricious fluidity and rhythmic dynamism of the French master's music for the piano is almost entirely missing, and her dynamics are really bizarre.

I am eager to hear more from this fabulous pianist and am looking forward to what Ekaterina Derzhavina's further maturity in years will bring to her playing.

Rameau

"L'Entretien des Muses"
04:42 ➢ "Les Tourbillons" Rondeau
06:35 ➢ "Les Soupirs" Tendrement
09:48 ➢ "La Triomphante"

recorded live in 2011

Bach Overture from Partita, BWV 831 "Overture in the French style"

Bach Goldberg Variations, BWV 988

Aria
04:15 ➢ Var. 1. a 1 Clav.
06:04 ➢ Var. 2. a 1 Clav.
07:21 ➢ Var. 3. Canone all’Unisono. a 1 Clav.
09:29 ➢ Var. 4. a 1 Clav.
10:29 ➢ Var. 5. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav.
11:48 ➢ Var. 6. Canone alla Seconda. a 1 Clav.
13:02 ➢ Var. 7. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav. al tempo di Giga
15:03 ➢ Var. 8. a 2 Clav.
16:57 ➢ Var. 9. Canone alla Terza. a 1 Clav.
18:31 ➢ Var. 10. Fughetta. a 1 Clav.
20:03 ➢ Var. 11. a 2 Clav.
21:55 ➢ Var. 12. Canone alla Quarta
24:04 ➢ Var. 13. a 2 Clav.
29:04 ➢ Var. 14. a 2 Clav.
31:08 ➢ Var. 15. Canone alla Quinta. a 1 Clav.: Andante
37:18 ➢ Var. 16. Ouverture. a 1 Clav.
40:04 ➢ Var. 17. a 2 Clav.
41:56 ➢ Var. 18. Canone alla Sesta. a 1 Clav.
43:12 ➢ Var. 19. a 1 Clav.
45:11 ➢ Var. 20. a 2 Clav.
47:03 ➢ Var. 21. Canone alla Settima
49:46 ➢ Var. 22. a 1 Clav. alla breve
51:23 ➢ Var. 23. a 2 Clav.
53:27 ➢ Var. 24. Canone all'Ottava. a 1 Clav.
55:59 ➢ Var. 25. a 2 Clav. adagio
1:04:54 ➢ Var. 26. a 2 Clav.
1:07:02 ➢ Var. 27. Canone alla Nona. a 2 Clav.
1:08:39 ➢ Var. 28. a 2 Clav.
1:10:56 ➢ Var. 29. a 1 ô vero 2 Clav.
1:12:56 ➢ Var. 30. a 1 Clav. Quodlibet
1:14:51 ➢ Aria da Capo

recorded in 1994

Haydn 6 Esterhazy Piano Sonatas, Hob XVI:21-26

1 in C major (i Allegro moderato - ii Adagio - iii Finale: Presto)
14:31 ➢ 2 in E major (i Allegro moderato - ii Andante - iii Finale: Tempo di minuetto)
26:57 ➢ 3 in F major (i Allegro moderato - ii Larghetto Adagio - iii Finale: Presto)
38:00 ➢ 4 in D major (i Allegro - ii Larghetto Adagio - iii Finale: Presto)
48:40 ➢ 5 in E♭ major (i Moderato - ii Tempo di minuetto)
57:57 ➢ 6 in A major (i Allegro moderato - ii Allgretto - iii Finale: Presto)

Beethoven from Piano Sonata 31 in A♭ major, Op 110
i Moderato cantabile molto espressivo (excerpt)

live 2013 video

Schumann 7 "Traumerei" from "Kinderszenen" Op 15

recorded live in 2007

Schumann "Kreisleriana" Op 16

recorded live in 2004

Debussy from Préludes Book I

10 La cathédrale engloutie - Profondément calme
06:04 ➢ 11 La danse de Puck - Capricieux et léger
09:10 ➢ 12 Minstrels - Modéré
11:49 ➢ 6 Des pas sur la neige - Triste et lent
16:14 ➢ 9 La sérénade interrompu - Modérément animé
18:51 ➢ 5 Les collines d'Anacapri - Très modéré

recorded live in 2011

Medtner 1 Andante Cantabile in E major from 8 "Stimmungsbilder" Op 1

recorded live in 2007 (Yale) on an 1881 Érard pianoforte

Medtner 8 "Stimmungsbilder" Op 1

recorded live in Moscow

1 Andante Cantabile in E major
04:22 ➢ 2 Allegro con impeto in G♯ minor
06:11 ➢ 3 Maestoso freddo in E♭ minor
09:33 ➢ 4 Andantino con moto in G♭ major

5 Andante in B♭ minor
02:44 ➢ 2 Allegro con humore in D♭ major
05:00 ➢ 3 Allegro con ira in F♯ minor
06:54 ➢ 4 Allegro con grazia (quasi valse) in A major

Ekaterina Derzhavina in recital - Moscow 2011

Georgy Catoire 4 Pieces, Op 12
1 Chant du soir
03:11 ➢ 2 Méditation
05:30 ➢ 3 Nocturne
08:35 ➢ 4 Étude fantasque

Scriabin 5 Preludes, Op 74
11:40 ➢ 1 Douloureux, déchirant
13:06 ➢ 2 Très lent, contemplatif
14:52 ➢ 3 Allegro drammatico
15:37 ➢ 4 Lent, vague, indécis
17:09 ➢ 5 Fier, belliqueux

18:14 ➢ Prokofiev Tales of an Old Grandmother, Op 31 (1918)