A musician with a flamboyant style, the pianist Yanica Hristova invites us to discover three major Bulgarian composers whose music is not yet widely recorded. She intersperses these works with the famous first book of Schubert Impromptus.
This album opens with a collection of three "Klavierstücke" composed in 1956 by Veselin Stoyanov (1902-1969). This is sumptuous music, contrasted and highly inspired. A world premiere recording, the virtuosic Three Etudes by Tomislav Baynov, born in 1958, are reminiscent of some of the music by Prokofiev or even Ginastera. They are expressionistic and at the same time take root in the Bulgarian popular music, especially for the second one.
Much better known is Pancho Vladigerov, author of a large body of piano music, and representative of the national school. Yanica Hristova has selected in this recital the last two pieces from the Five Episode, Opus 36 from 1941, which bear the influence of early 20th century French music, and of Ravel in particular.
In this proteiform, dense and colourful environment, the four Schubert Impromptus act as anchors and breathing spaces. This album takes the listener on a journey both in space and time, travelling through varied and unusual soundscapes. A fascinating programme, not to be missed. © Melism