Sergei Bortkiewicz | Prelude, Op.6/1

Bortkiewicz (Bortkievicz) is a severly underrated composer, in my opinion. His pianistic output is absolutely fantastic. His piece Diana has well over 100k views on the channel. People are nowadays interested in the output of this rather forgotten romantic composer.
A very gloomy Prelude, which sounds more like a Nocturne in spirit, and reminds of early Rachmaninov pieces (Elegy, same "maximally distant" tonality etc). Although we have an ABA structure, the middle section is not in the major key, we instead have a development section that leads to a climax, which can probably be played with accelerando, as I did naturally. The atmosphere is pretty hopeless and dark. The bright horizon appears at the end though. The 3 note motif c g b flat, reminds me of a similar motif that Chopin used (I think) at the end of the second movement of the first PC. It can be played in a exclamatory way, as you hear here. (What makes me believe to do so, is that it is repeated rather prominently at the end there).
Bortkiewicz (1877-1952) was a Romantic composer.
He received his musical training from Anatoly Lyadov and Karl von Arek at the Imperial Conservatory of Music in Saint Petersburg.
In 1900 he left Saint Petersburg and traveled to Leipzig, where he became a student of Alfred Reisenauer and Salomon Jadassohn, both pupils of Franz Liszt. In July 1902, Bortkiewicz completed his studies at the Leipzig Conservatory and was awarded the Schumann Prize on graduation. On his return to the Russian Empire in 1904, he married Elisabeth Geraklitowa, a friend of his sister, and then returned to Germany, where he settled in Berlin. It was there that he started to compose seriously.
From 1904 until 1914, Bortkiewicz continued to live in Berlin but spent his summers visiting his family in Ukraine or travelling around Europe often on concert tours. For a year he also taught at the Klindworth-Scharwenka Conservatory, where he was to meet his lifelong friend, the Dutch pianist Hugo van Dalen (1888-1967). Van Dalen premiered Bortkiewicz's Piano Concerto No. 1, Op. 16, in November 1913 in Berlin with the Blüthner Orchestra conducted by the composer.
Bortkiewicz's piano style was very much based on Liszt and Chopin, nurtured by Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninoff, early Scriabin, Wagner and Ukrainian folklore. The composer never saw himself as a "modernist", as can be seen from his Künstlerisches Glaubensbekenntnis, written in 1923. His workmanship is meticulous, his imagination colourful and sensitive, his piano writing idiomatic; a lush instrumentation underlines the essential sentimentality of the melodic invention.
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Thanks for listening :-)

[@ianwilliams2632]

One of my favourite composers. It's astonishing that you can produce this tone quality fit for his work, with whatever digital piano or samples you use.

[@sylviemuller1811]

I discovered Sergei Bortkiewicz thanks to you, approximatively 1 year ago. I liked it so much that I looked for a CD but I could only find one (Esquisses de Crimée). You should publish one.

[@alessiagenesis5735]

Un artista oscuro, scoperto tempo fa,e che mi ha subito rapita,pur se nella mia condizione di profana. Bellissimo

[@DatsMac]

One of my favorite recently discovered composers! Thanks a lot Gamma!

[@user-wt9pv6yg1p]

Какое красивое произведение, звучит потрясающе, исполнено филигранно) спасибо ❤💐👏

[@johnopalko5223]

Ooh, that was gorgeous!

[@vasylbendas]

Борткевич став для мене справжнім відкриттям! Неймовірний стиль, мелодика, гармонії. Просто геній!

[@MusicLadySongs]

Again you have managed to touch my old heart with your beautifully sensitive performance. Thank you for sharing a stunning piece by a composer whose music should be recognized and played more frequently. You are a gift to your listeners! Thank you!

[@eloisadomingo7960]

Un autor excepcional y una interpretación a su altura. Gracias. 😍🥰👏

[@daniellarsen3273]

Beautiful. Feels like a darker version of the Raindrop Prelude.

[@lluisrafalessole-classical5068]

Delicious performance 🎹👏

[@DragosDomnara]

One of my favourite pieces and I am happy to hear your interpretation

[@ewhyte8059]

This is a wonderful piece. It actually put me into a semitrancelike state towards the end! What an under celebrated composer!

[@olga_piano]

Despite the influence of the great composers of his predecessors, Bortkevich's own unique lyrical style is felt. The Prelude is so beautiful, and the performance is so perfect, that there is simply nothing to add to it. The music said it all by itself. Thank you.

[@kndktr]

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@Marklar3]

Seems like the left hand was inspired by Henselt's La Gondola etude. Same key signature too, but in the relative minor.

[@kojiattwood]

Yet another great Bortkiewicz piece.

[@engloute]

Suits you well, my dear sir.

[@giuliozumerle816]

Wowwww outstanding!!! Thanks for the upload!!🎶🙏❤️

[@antoniomm2879]

Un artista.

[@RosemaryThomas1]

Beautiful!!

[@Nellie8866]

Шикарная кантилена! Браво! Спасибо за прекрасную музыку!!! ❤❤❤

[@user-cj3qt5vc6h]

Благодарю за разнообразие и прекрасное исполнение ❤

[@emilyhutjes]

Thank you Gamma, very beautifully played. 🌷🌷🌷 (Holland)

[@stephen7971]

Nice video dude, keep up the great work!

[@user-pz2sn5qq4e]

❤❤❤❤❤

[@tajajavadina5935]

❤

[@haruitsuki9929]

Sounds so familiar to Chopin 72 1 in E minor

[@sasha42196]

The first five notes are the same.

[@olga_piano]

It doesn't quite look like it. If you are listening to Bortkiewicz's Nocturne in E Minor (Dubrovnik from the Yugoslav Suite) Op. 58. That's where the coincidences with Chopin Op. 72 1 are!

[@diom00]

reminds me a little bit of Liszt's Consolations no. 3!

[@mrsnegy6001]

Really beautiful work. I could get that impression even though there is something wrong with the quality - awful really. It is not you but something in the setting. I don't understand how to set it right so the lower notes lose this dull booming quality. It is a shame since I like this piece.