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Leaf Music3.5
Theme: Variation
David Rogosin, piano
Leaf Music, 2023
Released in March 2023 by Leaf Music, Theme: Variation features a selection of popular and lesser-known keyboard and piano variations performed by Mount Allison University professor David Rogosin. Beginning with works by late Renaissance/early baroque composers Orlando Gibbons and Jan Pieters Sweelinck, Rogosin moves through four centuries of music by composers such as Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Chopin and Babbitt, rounding the album off with postmodern variations by Kevin Morse, a fellow Mount Allison professor.
The opening chords reveal Rogosin to be a refined and articulate pianist, with a lovely touch and delicate timbre. While his interpretation generally adheres to stylistic conventions, Rogosin’s renditions of Gibbons, Sweelinck, and Handel use abundant legato and frequent pedalling. At times, one wishes for a more expressive, rhythmically exciting, and metrically marked performance.
Rogosin’s early classical playing is more satisfying. He plays with a soft and exquisite tone, and his interpretation of Mozart stands out for its delicacy. That being said, the dramatic and improvisatory potential of the Ah! Vous dirai-je maman variations is not fully exploited, and the culminating finale is unsatisfying. Rogosin’s Beethoven is unexpectedly safe and non-confrontational, but the slower and more mysterious variations seem to fit his musical personality better.
Rogosin’s touch is ideal for Chopin’s Berceuse, in which he demonstrates his interpretive talents and command of the instrument. He is equally at home with Babbit and Morse, whose works are recorded and mixed seamlessly by the album’s audio engineers and producers. Based on a beautiful aria by J. S. Bach, Morse’s variations combine a variety of styles, swaying between Webern, Bartók, romantic and post-romantic music. Varying in quality and originality, they offer delightful moments alongside less compelling passages.
It is worth mentioning that the album is accompanied by thoughtful program notes, in English and in French, written by Prof. Rogosin himself.
This page is also available in / Cette page est également disponible en:
Francais (French)
