Mosaic
Blue Griffin, 2022
8/10
The award winning violist Wenting Kang aligns herself with Sergei Kvitko’s inimitable piano skills on this debut album that brings pieces from France and Spain.
Claude Debussy’s “Beau Soir” opens the listen with the stirring strings alongside gentle piano, as the pair emit much emotion and depth, and “Recuerdo de la Alhambra”, by Francisco Tárrega, follows with the swift viola being manipulated in fascinating ways the quiver with a subtle intensity.
Further on there are 4 pieces by Gabriel Fauré, the highlight being the poetic, somewhat haunting demeanor of “Elégie in c minor, Op. 24”, while Isaac Albéniz’s “Tango In D Major, Op. 165 No. 2” dancing with agile keys amid the expressive strings.
Closer to the end, the gripping “El Cant dels Ocells-Song of the Birds” flows with a very intimate and lush delivery between the pair, and the final track, Manuel de Falla’s “Polo”, rumbles with firm piano as Wenting’s finger acrobatics make quite an impression on the very dynamic exit.
Kang and Kvitko illuminate these works with much color and rich musicianship, as they spotlight this era of cultural exchange with meticulous fluidity.
Travels well with: Sergei Kvitko- MOZART. Post Scriptum; Duo Shu- Duo Shu