For this CD/DVD combo package from Naïve, Turkish pianist
Fazil Say performs
Modest Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition;
Leos Janácek's Piano Sonata, "1.X.1905"; and
Sergey Prokofiev's Piano Sonata No. 7 in B flat major, filmed in concert by
Jean-Pierre Loisil. If the program has an air of quirkiness, it is fitting because
Fazil Say has developed a reputation for unpredictability and eccenticity, both in his repertoire and in his interpretations.
Say has been hailed in some quarters as a genius, and his fearless reshaping of classic pieces by his own lights has attracted both admirers and critics; it is hard to stay neutral about his playing, which is either idiosyncratic or self-indulgent. The performance of Pictures is quite novel and surprising, even including plucking inside the piano, and one's enjoyment undoubtedly depends on liking
Say's extravagant changes of pacing and having a high tolerance for his intrusive humming and grunting. The piano sonatas by
Janácek and
Prokofiev have somewhat less theatricality and playfulness, perhaps because they are less open to manipulation or "recomposition," though
Say's interpretations are still quite free in tempo and phrasing, and his vocalizations persist. Naïve's recording is clear and close-up, capturing all the notes and giving
Say realistic presence, for better or worse.