Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (Live)

Hanna Shybayeva

About the album

Being a musician, I mostly communicate with the world through music and performance, which is why the decision to play this cycle by Frederic Rzewski was immediate and self-evident. The emotional and technical richness of the piece allows me to express pretty much everything I felt and continue to feel about the events in Belarus in 2020 and today. The immense variety and sometimes sudden changes of musical styles, the complex and versatile emotional world of the cycle calls for a straight connection with our human nature and mirrors the struggles we all go through during our lifetime. All of this makes this music accessible to any ear and even bewitches the unexperienced listener. Remaining complex, but also unexpectedly simple at times, Rzewski’s music reaches his goal to be understood by everyone, speaking directly to our hearts.

This album was recorded live at the soundsofmusic festival in Groningen (NL).

Tracklist

Frederic Rzewski

The People United Will Never Be Defeated

Thema. With determination1:38

Var. 1. Weaving, delicate but firm1:02

Var. 2. With firmness0:58

Var. 3. Slightly slower, with expressive nuances1:24

Var. 4. Marcato1:08

Var. 5. Dreamlike, frozen1:12

Var. 6. Same tempo as beginning1:18

Var. 7. Tempo, lightly impatiently1:07

Var. 8. With agility, not too much pedal, crisp1:27

Var. 9. Evenly1:43

Var. 10. Comodo, recklessly1:06

Var. 11. Tempo I0:45

Var. 121:18

Var. 132:03

Var. 14. A bit faster, optimistically1:33

Var. 15. Flexible, like an improvisation1:39

Same tempo as preceding, with fluctuations, much pedal1:56

Var. 171:18

Var. 181:36

Var. 19. With energy0:46

Var. 20. Crisp, precise0:45

Var. 21. Relentless, uncompromising1:01

Var. 220:56

Var. 23. As fast as possible, with some rubato0:33

Var. 242:42

Var. 25. With fluctuations2:08

Var. 26. In a militant manner1:18

Var. 27. Tenderly, and with a hopeful expression5:50

Var. 281:36

Var. 290:34

Var. 302:47

Var. 311:02

Var. 321:01

Var. 331:31

Var. 341:16

Var. 351:15

Var. 36. Cadenza5:25

Thema. Tempo I3:24

Total playing time1:02:01

Artists

Hanna Shybayeva

piano

Composers

Frederic Rzewski

1938–2021

“At the Soundsofmusic Festival, Hanna Shybayeva ensured a spot-on impressive performance of the 38 variations on a tonal and simple bass theme that require an hour of concert time. The walking bass or chaconne theme moves through a multitude of styles, from jazz to quasi baroque and from neo-romantic to atonal. Two variations feature not only Hanna Shybayeva's fantastic piano playing but also her voice, where Rzewski prescribes humming the melody along.”
Christo Lelie, Piano Bulletin

“Shybayeva fulfils her task and brings Rzewski's melodies to life with an emotional intelligence that is unique. The voices, with their ethos of hope for the future, are a clear message of optimism, if only the world around us could live up to the moral level of artistic truth conveyed on this album.”
Szatmári Róbert, Papageno

“There are musicians whose political views are said to have no bearing on their musical achievements, and there are musicians who use their work to advocate for a better world. Shybayeva belongs to the latter group, and that is truly commendable. This is yet another excellent reason to listen to this album.”
Michael Zerwan, O-Ton

“Not only is the piece excessively demanding pianistically, but it also demands an interpretation that manages to get to its heart and soul. This is what Hanna Shybayeva can accomplish. Her performance is synonymous with a deeply affecting, even emotional experience.”
Aart van der Wal, Opus Klassiek

“The colorful and pianistically varied music captivates the imagination, as does Shybayeva's virtuosic playing. The pianist plays these technically challenging and spirited variations powerfully and intensely, with great dynamic contrasts and ferocity. This fierceness combined with Shybayeva's engagement gives a special dimension and eloquence to her playing.”
Olga de Kort, Pianist Magazine

“It is a pianistically demanding work. But it is a work that also demands compassion and interpretive heart to deliver successfully. Hanna Shybayeva does so brilliantly. She makes this a deeply affecting, emotional experience.”
Rushton Paul, Positive Feedback

Credits

Genre	Contemporary
Instrumentation	Solo
Release date	May 25, 2024
Booklet