Indonesian pianist Jonathan Kuo makes a striking debut solo recording with Godowsky's Java Suite and Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka, released on Rubicon Classics. The album showcases Kuo's 'appealingly unflashy' style, bringing exuberance to these technically demanding works.
Godowsky's Java Suite: A Tonal Journey
Leopold Godowsky, the Lithuanian-born US piano virtuoso and composer, wrote the Java Suite in 1925, inspired by a concert tour of southeast Asia. He described it as a 'Phonorama – Tonal Journey for the Pianoforte,' intended as the first of a series. The 50-minute work is fantastically demanding, capturing the sounds and scenes of Java, from gamelan-inspired clangorous sounds to a moonlit Buddhist temple, perfumed botanic gardens, chattering monkeys, and a puppet show. A bustling streetscape and sunrise over Mount Bromo volcano provide emotional high points.
Kuo's Interpretive Approach
Kuo's playing is measured and introspective, yet exuberant. He shapes long, sweeping phrases, reinforcing bass notes imperceptibly while navigating complex upper-register passages. According to the review, he captures the contradictions of a work that has Lisztian scope but remains introspective, with a Debussian feeling for sonority.
Stravinsky's Petrushka: A Persuasive Performance
Kuo pairs the Suite with Stravinsky's Three Movements from Petrushka, arranged for pianist Arthur Rubinstein, who was jealous of Godowsky's technique. Kuo's performance here feels slightly measured, missing the music's sense of rollicking abandon, but only by millimetres. It remains an exuberant and persuasive performance, according to the reviewer.
Conclusion
Jonathan Kuo's debut solo recording is a compelling introduction to a young pianist with a bright future. His unflashy exuberance brings fresh life to these complex works, making them accessible and engaging.
