This is Shorena Tsintsabadze’s fourth recording released by ARS Produktion. She has already established herself as a pianist with a natural feeling for emotional nuances and well-developed technical skills. With this new one, she confirms once again her fabulous mastery. It would seem, however, that this is not the most exciting objective. Over the past few years, we have seen an increasing number of Ukrainian artists, motivated by patriotic feelings, highlighting national composers, hitherto largely unknown. Now, it is Shorena’s turn to do the same for Georgia, calling it: ’The Georgian Project’.

In her introduction in the accompanying booklet, she shares her dismay about recent developments in Tbilisi that may risk this former Soviet State losing sight of joining the European Union, writing: “.. the fate of my country is again in danger.” This is, in my view, a plea that should not be ignored, and we must commend ARS Produktion, one of the very few remaining independent quality labels, for their continued artistic support in these kinds of matters.

Looking at it from a purely cultural angle, The Georgian Project gives us an exquisite chance to familiarise ourselves with Georgian composers thus far vaguely or not at all known. Shorina has opted for a wide selection composed between the second half of the 19th and the beginning of the 21st century. They may not all be of the same qualitative complexity, but they present nonetheless a thought-provoking anthology.

One name probably best known is Giya Kancheli, whose wonderfully exotic works are miserably missing in the hi-res catalogue. And maybe also, to a lesser extent, Otar Taktakishvili, mainly for his Sonata for Flute and Piano. Many of the others are to most of us relatively ‘strangers’. Who is familiar with Zakharia Paliashvili? A soccer fan, perhaps, as he composed a short version of Georgia’s National Hymn for the 2008 Europe Championships. At least that is, as far as I’m aware, all ever having been recorded of his oeuvre. Nonetheless, his ‘The Elegy’, with which the recital opens, is as beautiful as one can think of. And what about Aleksi Machavariani? I’ve not been able to find his ‘Khorumi’ anywhere else on record. A rhythmic martial dance, typical of Georgian tradition.

And I could go on like this. But rather than doing so, I suggest people, eager to know more about Georgian piano music, and, as a positive side-effect, willing to support a lofty goal, discover for themselves all the short jewels unveiled here so passionately by Shorena Tsintsabadze: A mixture of fascinating old and new folk melodies, rhythmically traditional, East and West from the ‘melting pot’ Georgia over the centuries has become. Better than elsewhere to be found, are the comprehensive liner notes about each of the composers to deepen one's knowledge. Believe me, it’s worth all your time!

Perhaps one more word about Kancheli. For this recording, Shorena has chosen his ‘Simple Piano Music on Themes from Music for Cinema and Theatre’, 33 short, attractive pieces, many composed for the Georgian actor and stage director Robert Sturua (Shakespeare's ‘King Lear’, ‘As You Like It’, ‘Twelfth Night’, ‘Caucasian Chalk Circle’, and other national and international playwrights).

The story wouldn’t be complete if I did not mention the input of the Georgian pianist and composer Sandro Nebieridze, who contributed to the creation of this album with ’Alegroba’, a piece written specifically for this project. Bravo!

This release is a document not to be missed. A Georgian pianist in top form fighting for the future of a nation which is profoundly hers, and a recording signed ‘Manfred Schumacher’.

Blangy-le-Château, Normandy, France.

Copyright © 2024 Adrian Quanjer and HRAudio.net

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