Yuval Zorn unites Szymanowski, Debussy, and Rameau with clarity and flair

Giorgio Koukl | 11 JUL 2025

A very intriguing mixture of three composers was chosen for this album: Szymanowski, Debussy, and Rameau—a combination that defies the monothematic preferences often favored by record labels. Yet the title Masques, Images & Hommages offers a unifying concept, suggesting a deeper rationale behind the combination that reveals unexpected charm and engaging possibilities.

RCD1199 cover art (click to enlarge)

Yuval Zorn is not new to this form of subtle mixtures. This conductor and pianist is, per se, a rare exception: usually one is good at conducting and weaker in piano playing, not to speak of pianists who discover a passion for conducting, which is generally not as brilliant. Some conductors who are contemporaneously outstanding pianists are known from the past, let us cite Wolfgang Sawalish as one example.

Zorn is undoubtedly a very gifted pianist, and his Szymanowski is on the same level as the versions played by Marc-André Hamelin or Krystian Zimerman.

Masques, Op. 34 was composed by Karol Szymanowski between 1915 and 1916. It stands as one of his most important piano compositions, showcasing his transition into a more impressionistic and symbolist musical language. The work is deeply inspired by literature and mythology, with each movement based on a mythical or literary figure. The movements are:

1. “Scheherazade” – Inspired by the storyteller of One Thousand and One Nights, this piece is exotic, sensuous, and rhythmically rich. It evokes a dreamlike, colorful atmosphere, full of eastern flair, utilizing complex textures and harmonic ambiguity. In this colorful ambiente, Mr. Zorn moves with extreme elegance and scintillating technique.
2. “Tantris le bouffon” (“Tantris the Jester”) – Based on the Tristan legend, but with a twist from Ernst Hardt’s version, in which Tristan disguises himself as “Tantris.” It is playful, grotesque, and ironic—full of rhythmic vitality, surprising dissonances, and virtuoso gestures. Now this is a real playground for Zorn, where he can display all his capacities as a piano virtuoso. He probably reaches his peak here among all tracks.
3. “Sérénade de Don Juan” – A character sketch of the legendary lover Don Juan. Seductive and flamboyant, it’s full of flair, with dance-like rhythms and colorful harmonies that depict his charm and bravado.

There are clear influences from Debussy, Ravel, and Stravinsky, but with Szymanowski’s own unique harmonic palette and structure.

We can also follow the dry and perfectly balanced way of playing in Zorn’s choice of Claude Debussy.

The two books of Images represented a relatively new approach to piano writing, utilizing pentatonic and whole-tone scales to create fluid textures. Arpeggiated figuration simulates water ripples, the rhythmic fluidity, use of rubato, and irregular subdivisions (triplets over duplets, etc.) are an ideal stage for Zorn. The only possible negative side is that his unsentimental approach, which serves him so well in Szymanowski, here could be a hint warmer.

Pedal use is critical in these works; while continuous half-pedaling blends sonorities together, this is where many pianists fail in their interpretation. Not so Mr. Zorn. Especially in “Reflets dans l’eau,” he is very concentrated on balancing and achieves a real quality.

The logical complement of this CD is Jean Philippe Rameau and some parts of his cembalo suites. These suites are among Rameau’s most influential keyboard works, bridging the grandeur of Louis XIV’s court style and the more expressive trends of the Enlightenment. They were admired by later composers such as Debussy and Ravel.

“Les Trois Mains” shows Rameau’s harmonic daring and illusion of extra hands (in the latter, one voice leaps rapidly across registers). Zorn plays this in a very high-paced tempo, maybe a hint too hasty to follow all the intricacies.

Rather than sticking solely to dance forms, Rameau writes descriptive works, such as “La Fanfarinette” or “La Triomphante,” both of which are well-characterized by the pianist. While it is true that this music can be played at its best only on a harpsichord, here, under the capable hands of Yuval Zorn, the piano version is of no lesser effect. ■

EXTERNAL LINKS:

• Steven Gross: yuvalzorn.com

About the author:

Giorgio Koukl is a Czech-born pianist/harpsichordist and composer who resides in Lugano, Switzerland. Among his many recordings are the complete solo piano works and complete piano concertos of Bohuslav Martinů on the Naxos label. He has also recorded the piano music of Tansman, Lutosławski, Kapralova, and A. Tcherepnin, amongst others, for the Grand Piano label. (photo: Chiara Solari)

Read more by Giorgio Koukl.

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