Nikolai Kapustin - Concert Étude Op.40 No.1

Recorded in Frankfurt in March 2022 by The Honens International Piano Competition.
Nikolai Kapustin - Concert Étude Op.40 No.1 (1984) performed by Xander Benham.
www.xanderbenham.com/
For sure the melody (thats comes after the introduction) is based off of "the lick" as it is known in jazz. With ample rhythmic and harmonic ingredients in jazz, the first etude, titled “Prelude,” is an excellent introductory showpiece to the rest of the op. 40 set. Representative of Kapustin’s mature writing style, the sophisticated musical language of this etude is reflected through Kapustin’s use of chromaticism, techniques of modulation, and infusion of altered and added note chords with intricate voicing.
In the stylistic transition from ragtime to jazz, the foremost transforming element was the growing sense of movement and freedom, wherein the left hand gradually took on more linear aspects such as walking tenths and octaves and melodic runs. As a result of these musical developments, the right hand became freer instead of being limited to a literal reading of composed ragtime melodies. Melodic lines were treated more freely as
pianists began procedures of paraphrasing and improvising. This newly introduced musical phenomenon allowed for the increased use of “swinging” eighth notes and a more liberated approach to rhythm by playing ahead or behind the beat set up by the left hand or bass instrument, now an unmistakable feature of jazz music. These distinct characteristics of jazz can be discovered and heard throughout Kapustin’s music and contributes to the hybrid classical-jazz writing style that he has come to be known for.
Enjoy.
Your Pianist and Composer,
Xander Benham.

[@albrin]

phenomenal playing

[@marieginocchio222]

Nice performance

[@musiclassic1]

this is amazing