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<< -- 2 -- Jennifer Paull KIPNIS' COCKTAILS
Nothing is sugar sweet. Kushner/Kipnis knew exactly how to let a shaft
of light fall in front of a note so that anticipation removed over-sweetness;
a breath of air effaced a saccharine aftertaste. This particular mosaic
of magical components is just right!
The CD starts off with Brahms's Six Hungarian Dances, WoO1
bursting with the subtle hues of timing, anticipation, sparkle and light;
champagne at the perfect temperature, not too dry, not too sweet, just as
it should be: intoxicating.
Brahms and Clara Schumann premièred the first ten Hungarian Dances
as a musical unity. These were printed in two books, which eventually grew
into four. The legendary affinity of those two musicians has always loomed
as being virtually impossible to equal. The Kushner/Kipnis interpretation
is so exquisite; we surely had their contemporary equivalent, albeit much
too briefly [listen -- track 1, 0:49-1:44].
Dvorák's Eight Slavonic Dances Op 46 follow [listen -- track 7, 2:19-3:19]. These were deliberately
written along the lines of the Brahms Dances for the publisher Simrock,
very much at Brahms' behest.
The intellectual, musical understanding and seemingly effortless technique
of both pianists evaporates as though invisible, leaving one to delight
in the canvass upon Dvorák's easel. The music in this colourful
interpretation never ceases to enchant the ear as it paints its Bohemian
folk elements. The duo's performance is delightful [listen
-- track 8, 0:00-0:34].
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Copyright © 31 July 2002
Jennifer Paull, Vouvry, Switzerland
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