Vibrant
Albany, 2023
8/10
The esteemed pianist Kyra Xuerong Zhao turns in pieces by Rachmaninoff, Scriabin, and Schumann here, and it’s a rich and dynamic delivery that retains the spirit of the originals, but with an updated flair, too.
The first 2 tracks belong to Rachmaninoff, where “Etudes-tableaux, Op. 33: No. 8 in G Minor” flows with both melody and tension, as the keys are firm and agile, and “Etudes-tableaux, Op. 33: No. 9 in C-Sharp Minor” takes that lead into louder areas of rumbling keys that make an indelible impression.
In the middle, Scriabin’s “Piano Sonata No. 2 in G-Sharp Minor, Op. 19” emits much dreaminess via the warm keys that tug on the heartstrings but are still capable of dense bouts, while “24 Preludes for Piano, Op. 11: No. 11”, also by Scriabin, offers an elegant and mesmerizing display of careful attention to mood.
Schumann’s “Carnaval, Op. 9” exits the listen, and unfolds across 20 movements of swift bouts, gentle ebbs and animated playing that’s flexible and admirable.
A graduate of Boston University, Yale, and the Mannes School of Music, Zhao is currently on the faculty at the New England Conservatory of Music Pre-College, and her academic achievements certainly help fuel this captivating piano performance.
Travels well with: Anthony Taylor- Raised Structures; Luke Dahn- The Valkov-Dahn Project