The name of the Ukrainian bayanist
Vladimir Murza is well known to professional academic circles
thanks to his numerous concerts in prestigious concert halls of
Ukraine, Russia, Germany, Canada, Yugoslavia, Finland, Lithuania
and also due to radio and TV broadcasts.
Vladimir Murza studied bayan at
the Odessa Conservatorium of Music (Ukraine) and in 1988 become
the Laureate of the Klingenthal competition. Currently teaching
accordion at the Odessa State Conservatorium of Music, Murza combines
his teaching with active involvement in many International Festivals
and Conferences, as an adjudicator, tutor or as a performer.
Vladimir Murza presents a wide repertoire
in this CD, beginning with baroque and classical pieces and ending
with modern compositions originally written for the accordion.
The performing style of this brilliant
instrumentalist possesses, among others, one great quality - there
is a beautiful freshness in his playing. From the very first note
that quality of beautiful freshness just strikes you in a way
that, in his performance, baroque and classical pieces are not
performed as just dry academic exercises (as they are so often
performed). Altogether Murza's playing has enormous personality,
and his performance of the classical pieces especially, is characterised
by a special romantic and poetic quality.
One more side of Murza's performing
skill is his undoubted technical mastery. He has total technical
freedom and plays with an amazing ease, which is especially noticeable
in "Voices of Spring", (arranged for the accordion by Yashkevich)
- a piece which is technically very demanding. Overall, Murza
is a musician and accordionist of a very high calibre, able to
perform different musical styles equally impressively. I was delighted
to have the opportunity to hear this recording!
I have to, however, make a remark
on the CD quality packaging wise: it perhaps is not up to Western
standards (CD cover and general packaging), but the performance
standard surely makes up for it.
*****
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