Search - Mikhail Glinka, Victor Ryabchikov :: Glinka: Complete Piano Music, Vol. 1

Glinka found his true voice as a composer only after he began using Russian folk music as his inspiration. He then became the founder of the Russian national school and might have been the first nationalist composer anywhere. Most of this piano music was written before Glinka's great discovery, and despite Victor Ryabchikov's fervent program notes in support of the music, it isn't very significant. Until his great revelation, Glinka wrote talented, entertaining salon music, nothing more. If you're interested enough in the composer to want to hear these mostly early works, though, Ryabchikov is an outstanding advocate, playing with obvious commitment, a wide range of tonal color, and the kind of expression you'd want to hear in Chopin's music. Beautiful recorded sound quality, too. --Leslie Gerber