KARAYEV, K.: Violin Sonata / 24 Preludes (V. Repin, M. Huseynov)

Gara Garayev (1918–82) was the leading Azerbaijani composer of the twentieth century, his music fusing the western traditions exemplified by his teacher Shostakovich and the classical and folk heritage of his homeland. The two works recorded here illustrate Garayev’s stylistic range: his Violin Sonata (1960) is Neo-Classical in manner, whereas the 24 Preludes (1951–63) combine influences from the Russian piano school (not least Prokofiev) with elements from Azeri modes and the rhythms of Arabic-Persian lyric poetry.