Work of the Week – Nikolai Kapustin: Concerto for violin, piano and string orchestra

Big band swing and ballroom dancing from Eastern Europe? What sounds like an unconventional combination, to say the least, comes across as enchantingly natural with Nikolai Kapustin. The Nordic Chamber Orchestra will perform Kapustin's Concerto for violin, piano and string orchestra op. 105 on 29 and 30 August 2024 in Västernorrland, Sweden, under the direction of Gilles Apap. The solo parts at this Swedish premiere will be played by Mona Kontra (piano) and the conductor himself (violin).

Kapustin knows how to fuse romanticism with jazz like no other. Yet he never saw himself as a jazz musician. He wrote down everything that seemed improvised from the outside in order to let it grow with the composition. The result is a unique music that - like Kapustin himself - has only become increasingly well-known since the 2000s. 

Concerto by Nikolai Kapustin: Duke Ellington meets Rachmaninoff

In addition to jazz and blues, Kapustin also makes use of ragtime in this Concerto. Traits of this rousing dance music permeate the work and allow it to oscillate between ecstasy and tender restraint. Sometimes Kapustin can simply be ‘blue’.

He mixes Shostakovich, Rachmaninoff, Schnittke and Prokofiev with the blues. It’s a mix of American-influenced jazz music plus the Russian education. (Frank Dupree, Pianist)

In a word: Kapustin's music is fun and there is still a lot to discover from him. More can be heard on 30 August 2024 in Tokyo, where Kapustin's second piano concerto will be performed, and in October in Sydney and Brisbane, where Nobuyuki Tsujii will perform the 8 Concert Studies.

Further Reading:

Nikolai Kapustin: Composer Profile

Concerto for violin, piano and string orchestra: Work Details and Online Score 

Website Music Västernorrland

photo: Peter Andersen, background: Adobe Firefly