# Nicolai Kapustin - any lovers around here?



## Sumantra (Feb 1, 2018)

Just listened to his piano concerto no. 2, 3, 4 & 6...also concert rhapsody. Not so much the 6th, but the rest I found pretty amazing. Sax concerto is quite good too...Any suggestions?


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

Kapustin is one of my most favorite composers. I started with the two discs of solo piano music on Hyperion recorded by Steven Osborne and Marc-André Hamelin. Hamelin's recording of the étude in octaves is to die for.

But I find there is really no substitute for Kapustin's own recordings of his music (which are sadly becoming tricky to properly source). Some of my favorites:


 Piano Sonata No 1, Op. 39 (especially the last movement)
 Eight Concert Etudes, Op. 40
 Variations, Op. 41
 Andante, Op. 58
 Ten Bagatelles, Op. 59
 Piano Sonata No. 6, Op. 62


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I prefer his chamber music, where the piano is less dominating, so that the music feels more lyrical and less jazzily percussive/repetitive.


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

joen_cph said:


> I prefer his chamber music, where the piano is less dominating, so that the music feels more lyrical and less jazzily percussive/repetitive.


Fair enough. The "jazzily percussive" bit is what I go in for, but I'm starting to get into the chamber music more. Just last night I was at a performance of the trio for piano, flute, and cello. Great stuff.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I'm sure there are qualities in the piano music, I'm just more into say Scriabin's or Feinberg's style than Kapustin's, in that respect.


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## hammeredklavier (Feb 18, 2018)

He passed away just last year


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## gregorx (Jan 25, 2020)

Kapustin is a bit on the jazzy side for most here, I would think, but I like his music and find that what he does with the jazz elements very appealing. It could be described as classical fused with jazz, but I like the way it can be very classical then transition into a jazz line. He didn't improvise, everything was written out.


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## Sumantra (Feb 1, 2018)

John Zito said:


> Kapustin is one of my most favorite composers. I started with the two discs of solo piano music on Hyperion recorded by Steven Osborne and Marc-André Hamelin. Hamelin's recording of the étude in octaves is to die for.
> 
> But I find there is really no substitute for Kapustin's own recordings of his music (which are sadly becoming tricky to properly source). Some of my favorites:
> 
> ...


Thanks. Haven't been through his chamber work...will soon. So many Piano Sonatas, you only mentioned two. Are they worth going for?


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Sumantra said:


> Just listened to his piano concerto no. 2, 3, 4 & 6...also concert rhapsody. Not so much the 6th, but the rest I found pretty amazing. Sax concerto is quite good too...Any suggestions?


I must admit I never heard from the man, been a bit searching, I do keep trying though.


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## John Zito (Sep 11, 2021)

Sumantra said:


> Thanks. Haven't been through his chamber work...will soon. So many Piano Sonatas, you only mentioned two. Are they worth going for?


The first and sixth sonatas are the ones I especially like. The second sonata is popular and has been recorded several times (by Yeol Eum Son most recently). This album features Kapustin playing the fourth and fifth sonatas, which I happen not to like as much.


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## tortkis (Jul 13, 2013)

John Zito said:


> Kapustin is one of my most favorite composers. I started with the two discs of solo piano music on Hyperion recorded by Steven Osborne and Marc-André Hamelin. Hamelin's recording of the étude in octaves is to die for.
> 
> But I find there is really no substitute for Kapustin's own recordings of his music (which are sadly becoming tricky to properly source). Some of my favorites:
> 
> ...


Eight Concert Etudes & others played by Kapustin was the first Kapustin album I heard, and it made a strong impression. Virtuosic, energic and very entertaining. Today I listened to it after a long time and it still sounded fresh. I had checked out some other recordings, but I wasn't so attracted to the chamber music with strings. I have not heard his orchestral works.


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