Hanna Shybayeva

Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (Live)

Nominated for the prestigious International Classical Music Award – Best Instrumental Solo!

This recording is dedicated to all people all over the world, who are fighting for their fundamental rights: people who stand up and protest against dictatorship and injustice, against violence and abuse of power.

This album was recorded live at the soundsofmusic festival in Groningen (NL).

About the album

Nominated for the prestigious International Classical Music Award – Best Instrumental Solo!

Being a musician, I mostly communicate with the world through music and performance, which is why the decision to play this cycle by Frederic Rzewski was immediate and self-evident. The emotional and technical richness of the piece allows me to express pretty much everything I felt and continue to feel about the events in Belarus in 2020 and today. The immense variety and sometimes sudden changes of musical styles, the complex and versatile emotional world of the cycle calls for a straight connection with our human nature and mirrors the struggles we all go through during our lifetime. All of this makes this music accessible to any ear and even bewitches the unexperienced listener. Remaining complex, but also unexpectedly simple at times, Rzewski’s music reaches his goal to be understood by everyone, speaking directly to our hearts.

This album was recorded live at the soundsofmusic festival in Groningen (NL).

Tracklist click to play/pause

Frederic Rzewski

The People United Will Never Be Defeated!
1. Thema. With determination
  
  1:38 1:38
2. Var. 1. Weaving, delicate but firm
  
  1:03 1:03
3. Var. 2. With firmness
  
  0:58 0:58
4. Var. 3. Slightly slower, with expressive
  
  1:25 1:25
5. Var. 4. Marcato
  
  1:09 1:09
6. Var. 5. Dreamlike, frozen
  
  1:13 1:13
7. Var. 6. Same tempo as beginning
  
  1:18 1:18
8. Var. 7. Tempo, lightly impatiently
  
  1:08 1:08
9. Var. 8. With agility, not too much pedal, crisp
  
  1:28 1:28
10. Var. 9. Evenly
  
  1:43 1:43
11. Var. 10. Comodo, recklessly
  
  1:06 1:06
12. Var. 11. Tempo I
  
  0:46 0:46
13. Var. 12
  
  1:19 1:19
14. Var. 13
  
  2:04 2:04
15. Var. 14. A bit faster, optimistically
  
  1:33 1:33
16. Var. 15. Flexible, like an improvisation
  
  1:39 1:39
17. Var. 16. Same tempo as preceding, with fluctuations, much pedal
  
  1:56 1:56
18. Var. 17
  
  1:18 1:18
19. Var. 18
  
  1:37 1:37
20. Var. 19. With energy
  
  0:46 0:46
21. Var. 20. Crisp, precise
  
  0:46 0:46
22. Var. 21. Relentless, uncompromising
  
  1:02 1:02
23. Var. 22
  
  0:57 0:57
24. Var. 23. As fast as possible, with some rubato
  
  0:33 0:33
25. Var. 24
  
  2:42 2:42
26. Var. 25. With fluctuations
  
  2:08 2:08
27. Var. 26. In a militant manner
  
  1:18 1:18
28. Var. 27. Tenderly, and with a hopeful expression
  
  5:50 5:50
29. Var. 28
  
  1:36 1:36
30. Var. 29
  
  0:34 0:34
31. Var. 30
  
  2:48 2:48
32. Var. 31
  
  1:02 1:02
33. Var. 32
  
  1:01 1:01
34. Var. 33
  
  1:32 1:32
35. Var. 34
  
  1:16 1:16
36. Var. 35
  
  1:16 1:16
37. Var. 36. Cadenza
  
  5:25 5:25
38. Thema. Tempo I
  
  3:25 3:25

More information

Label	TRPTK
Genre(s)	Classical – Contemporary (> 1920)
Artist(s)	Hanna Shybayeva
Composer(s)	Rzewski, Frederic
Recording location(s)	Lutheran Church, Groningen (NL)
Recording date(s)	November 2023

Cat. No.	TTK 0126
Release date	May 25th, 2024
Additional links	Download Booklet(PDF)

Tech specs

Microphones	Josephson C617 w/ Gefell MK221 capsules (main) DPA d:dicate 4006A (height)
Microphone preamps	Grace Design m801mk2
AD/DA conversion	Merging Technologies Hapi MkII Merging Technologies Anubis Grimm Audio CC2
Recording resolution	PCM 352.8kHz 32bit
Mastering resolution	PCM 352.8kHz 64bit
Monitoring (recording)	Audeze LCD-X
Monitoring (mastering)	Grimm Audio LS1be Grimm Audio SB1
Cabling	Grimm Audio TPR XLR

"Shybayeva fulfils her task and brings Rzewski's melodies to life with an emotional intelligence that is unique. The voices, with their ethos of hope for the future, are a clear message of optimism, if only the world around us could live up to the moral level of artistic truth conveyed on this album."

Szatmári Róbert, Papageno

"At the Soundsofmusic Festival, Hanna Shybayeva ensured a spot-on impressive performance of the 38 variations on a tonal and simple bass theme that require an hour of concert time. The walking bass or chaconne theme moves through a multitude of styles, from jazz to quasi baroque and from neo-romantic to atonal. Two variations feature not only Hanna Shybayeva's fantastic piano playing but also her voice, where Rzewski prescribes humming the melody along."

Christo Lelie, Piano Bulletin

"The colorful and pianistically varied music captivates the imagination, as does Shybayeva's virtuosic playing. The pianist plays these technically challenging and spirited variations powerfully and intensely, with great dynamic contrasts and ferocity. This fierceness combined with Shybayeva's engagement gives a special dimension and eloquence to her playing."

Olga de Kort, Pianist Magazine

"Not only is the piece excessively demanding pianistically, but it also demands an interpretation that manages to get to its heart and soul. This is what Hanna Shybayeva can accomplish. Her performance is synonymous with a deeply affecting, even emotional experience."

Aart van der Wal, Opus Klassiek

"There are musicians whose political views are said to have no bearing on their musical achievements, and there are musicians who use their work to advocate for a better world. Shybayeva belongs to the latter group, and that is truly commendable. This is yet another excellent reason to listen to this album."

Michael Zerwan, O-Ton

"It is a pianistically demanding work. But it is a work that also demands compassion and interpretive heart to deliver successfully. Hanna Shybayeva does so brilliantly. She makes this a deeply affecting, emotional experience."

Rushton Paul, Positive Feedback

SKU: TTK 0126 SA Category: Spatial Audio Downloads

Hanna Shybayeva

Rzewski: The People United Will Never Be Defeated! (Live)

This title is available as:

About the album

Tracklist click to play/pause

Frederic Rzewski

The People United Will Never Be Defeated!

Thema. With determination

Var. 1. Weaving, delicate but firm

Var. 2. With firmness

Var. 3. Slightly slower, with expressive

Var. 4. Marcato

Var. 5. Dreamlike, frozen

Var. 6. Same tempo as beginning

Var. 7. Tempo, lightly impatiently

Var. 8. With agility, not too much pedal, crisp

Var. 9. Evenly

Var. 10. Comodo, recklessly

Var. 11. Tempo I

Var. 12

Var. 13

Var. 14. A bit faster, optimistically

Var. 15. Flexible, like an improvisation

Var. 16. Same tempo as preceding, with fluctuations, much pedal

Var. 17

Var. 18

Var. 19. With energy

Var. 20. Crisp, precise

Var. 21. Relentless, uncompromising

Var. 22

Var. 23. As fast as possible, with some rubato

Var. 24

Var. 25. With fluctuations

Var. 26. In a militant manner

Var. 27. Tenderly, and with a hopeful expression

Var. 28

Var. 29

Var. 30

Var. 31

Var. 32

Var. 33

Var. 34

Var. 35

Var. 36. Cadenza

Thema. Tempo I

More information

Tech specs

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