Chiaroscuro
Blue Griffin, 2024
9/10
The Croatian American pianist Vedrana Subotić delivers several interpretations of folk songs from the former Yugoslavia, where her solo piano prowess illuminates the selections she learned as a child.
“Djelem Djelem ( I Went, I Went)” starts the listen with the flowing keys and distinct tone that emits much grace and warm, and “Kad Ja Podjoh Na Bembašu (When I Went To Bembasa)” follows with an emotive presence that radiates a timeless intimacy.
Halfway through, “Makedonsko Dvoječe (Macedonian Girl)” swirls with a mesmerizing mood, while “Još Ne Sviće Rujna Zora (Crimson Dawn Has Not Yet Broken)”, the best selection, unfolds with a rich, expressive quality that builds into swift and meticulous finger acrobatics.
The final track, Liszt’s “Sonata in B minor”, spreads out over 30+ minutes of rumbling, dynamic and exciting keys that exit the record on a very high note.
Subotić has been globally praised for her astounding performances, and that trend continues here, where themes of love, hope, beauty and loss are fleshed out flawlessly.
Travels well with: Orli Shaham- Mozart: Complete Piano Sonatas Vol. 5 & 6; Solomiya Ivakhiv- Ukrainian Masters