Recording identifier: Label: Klang-Skivan Catalogue number: Conductors: Producer: Joel Lundberg Engineer: Johannes Lundberg Recording date: 2018-12-22 Performance timing: Ensemble: Leader: Kalle Stenbäcken Recording location: Studio Epidemin, Gothenburg, Sweden

Standing rather apart from the salon pieces, Impressionist evocations and fairy tales that make up the bulk of early twentieth-century piano miniatures, there are also some that have their sights set more on innovation and experiment. Prokofiev’s own Sarcasms, composed between 1912 and 1914 are certainly among his most experimental works before his period of self-imposed exile from 1918. No doubt there was an element of image-consciousness here, too, right from the beginning. Prokofiev revelled in the controversy provoked by his more extravagant compositions and performances. In 1941 he reflected on the fifth Sarcasm, perhaps again with a degree of hindsight: ‘Sometimes we laugh maliciously at someone or something, but when we look closer, we see how pathetic and unfortunate is the object of our laughter. Then we become uncomfortable and the laughter rings in our ears, laughing now at us.’ But there is no need to take these compositions too seriously. Equally plausible is the response of the noted Russian virtuoso Konstantin Igumnov to the same piece: ‘This is the image of a reveller. He has been up to mischief, has broken plates and dishes, and has been kicked downstairs; he lies there and finally begins to come to his senses; but he is still unable to tell his right foot from his left.’

Recording identifier: Label: Catalogue number: Conductors: Producer: Engineer: Recording date: 2010-02-01 Performance timing: Ensemble: Leader: Recording location:

Recording identifier: Label: Catalogue number: Conductors: Producer: Engineer: Ing. Milan Kormout-Wisocký, studio: JRS -Jethro Recording Studio Recording date: 2020-05-15 Performance timing: Ensemble: Leader: Recording location: Hall of Prague Conservatory

Recording identifier: Label: Catalogue number: Conductors: Producer: Engineer: Recording date: 2020-03-20 Performance timing: Ensemble: Leader: Recording location: Lisboa, Portugal

Composer: Sourena Sefati Singer: Mojgan Shajarian Khamooshaneh is a Persian word for “Mutely”. The song is composed on a poem of Shafiee Kadkani, one of the most famous contemporary poets in Iran. The poem is about the history of Iran, the country that has been repeatedly occupied by its enemies. Instruments used in the song are including: Tar, Bam Tar, Santour, Kamancheh, Tombak, and Frame Drums. The song was composed in Esfahan scale (Bayate Esfahan).

The piece is Kourosh Danaei’s improvisation in Esfahan scale (Bayate Esfahan). Setar is a Persian stringed instrument with four strings which is played with index right finger.

The Piano Concerto in D-flat was written for Lev Oborin, who premiered it in Moscow on 12 July 1937, with the Moscow Philharmonic Orchestra under Lev Steinberg. The only piano available for the premiere was an upright piano, and the orchestra had just one rehearsal. The venue was an open-air stage in Sokolniki Park, and during the performance a strong wind blew Steinberg's glasses off, so that he could no longer see the score and had to conduct the remainder from memory. The piece is in three movements: the first movement, Allegro ma non troppo e maestoso, makes extensive use of the three-note theme of F, B, and A♭, illustrated above. Although the term "flexatone" is used, the second movement, Andante con anima, is one of the few classical pieces to make use of a musical saw, although this instrument is often omitted in performances and recordings of the concerto. The third movement, Allegro brillante, caps the piece in an exciting manner.