Prokofiev: Sonata No. 2 / Schubert: Four Impromptus, D 899 Elisso Bolkvadze

• Sergei Prokofiev (1891-1953): Piano Sonata No. 2 In D Minor, Op. 14
• 1 I. Allegro, ma non troppo 06:35
• 2 II. Scherzo. Allegro marcato 01:57
• 3 III. Andante 06:05
• 4 IV. Vivace 04:50
• Franz Schubert (1797–1828): Impromptus, Op. 90 (D 899)
• 5 No. 1 in C Minor (Allegro molto moderato) 10:50
• 6 No. 2 in E-Flat Major (Allegro) 04:24
• 7 No. 3 in G-Flat Major (Andante) 06:36
• 8 No. 4 in A-Flat Major (Allegretto - Trio) 07:06
• Total Runtime 48:23

Info for Prokofiev: Sonata No. 2 / Schubert: Four Impromptus, D 899

Prokofiev, the temperamental St Petersburg firebrand, and Schubert, the quiet revolutionary from Vienna – an intelligent and exciting combination. The pianist Elisso Bolkvadze, an UNESCO Artist for Peace and a superstar in her native Georgia, presents Prokofiev’s Second Piano Sonata and Schubert’s Impromptus D 899 in glowing and lyrical interpretations.

Sergei Prokofiev and Franz Schubert - a highly intelligent combination, highlighting the position of the two composers between tradition and innovation. Prokofiev's sonata oeuvre is significantly more present in Russia and the states of the former Soviet Union than in Central Europe where, at best, his Seventh Sonata is only occasionally programmed. Yet with his nine completed sonatas, spanning his career from his youth up to the period shortly before his death in 1953, Prokofiev created a musical cosmos similar in range to Shostakovich's string quartets. Hailing from the Georgian capital Tbilisi, Elisso Bolkvadze has chosen the Second Sonata (1912), where Prokofiev adopts an incredibly delicate tone which, at the same time, appears aggressive in its motoric energy, reflecting the modernist spirit of the Russian capital of St Petersburg before the First World War.

Elisso Bolkvadze has complemented this with Schubert's four Impromptus D899, a popular cycle whose innovation is often underestimated. For, alongside his great piano sonatas, Schubert always put new forms to the test with compact, and sometimes also programmatic, messages. This also holds true for the Impromptus, where pure colour is combined with lyrical, dramatic and gestural aspects.

Georgian pianist Elisso Bolkvadze was selected as a UNESCO Artist for Peace in January 2015. She has won numerous international piano competitions, including the Van Cliburn, Vianna da Motta and Dublin International Piano Competitions. She is regularly invited to perform as a soloist alongside international orchestras, and also gives recitals in major concert halls across Europe and the United States. A superstar in her home country, she was awarded the prestigious national 'Medal of Honour of the Georgian Government' in 1993. In 2013, Elisso Bolkvadze founded her own charitable foundation, 'Lyra', which supports talented young Georgian pianists. She is the Artistic Director of the Batumi Music Festival in Georgia.

Elisso Bolkvadze, piano

Elisso Bolkvadze
won great critical acclaim, throughout the years, for her unique sensibility, power and sincerity. Zubin Mehta praises “I was extremely impressed by her musicality and the complete control she has over her instrument".

Elisso is regularly invited to play with international orchestras such as: Gewandhaus Orchestra, France National Orchestra, Czech National Symphony Orchestra, Santa Fe Festival Orchestra, Lithuanian National Orchestra, National Philharmonic of Ukraine, Innsbruck Symphony Orchestra, The Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and St. Petersburg Philharmonic.

She frequently appears in such venues as Salle Pleyel, Salle Gaveau , Théâtre des Champs-Elysées (Paris), The Herkulessaal (Munich), Alte Opera (Frankfurt), Berlin-Konzerthaus (Germany), Kennedy Center (Washington), Pasadena Auditorium (Los Angeles) and Ravello Festival (Italy).

Elisso Bolkvadze won numerous international piano competitions such as:
• Van Cliburn Competition (USA)
• Vianna da Motta (Lisbon)
• Axa International Piano Competition (Dublin)
• Marguerite Long Competition – “special prize” for the best interpretation of French music (Paris).

A superstar in her country of birth, Elisso Bolkvadze was awarded with “The Medal of Georgian Government” – one of the most prestigious national honors.

Elisso Bolkvadze recorded albums for Sony BMG, performing piano concertos by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff and Liszt. Her new CD "Saint-Saëns Concert No.2", released by Swiss Cascavelle label, met great critical acclaim in the media: "Outstanding sensibility" - Figaroscop, "Brilliant virtuosity and Chic personality" - Classica.

Born in Tbilisi, Georgia, Elisso Bolkvadze began her musical studies at the early age of four and was accepted at Prodigy School. She performed her first concert with orchestra at the age of seven, attended master classes with Tatiana Nikolaeva in Moscow and Professor/Composer Michel Sogny's in France who provided to her an important artistic influence.

French national TV-channel LCI aired a full documentary film about her. She regularly appears on Mezzo channel, in live performances.

Recently she founded charity foundation “LYRA” for promoting talented young Georgian pianists.

Elisso Bolkvadze is the artistic director of Batumi International Music Festival – in Georgia.

Booklet for Prokofiev: Sonata No. 2 / Schubert: Four Impromptus, D 899