Dora Pejačević: Complete Piano Works / Yoko Nishii (Pf)
~on the 130th anniversary of Dora Pejačević~
Release Date: February 20, 2015
DISC 1
Piano Sonata in B Flat Minor Op. 36 (1915)
① I. Con fuoco ma non troppo allegro
② II. Andante con molto espressione
③ III. Rondo. Allegro risoluto
④ Lullaby in F Major Op. 2 (1897)
⑤ Gondolier’s Song in E Minor Op. 4 (1898)
⑥ Song without Words in C Major Op. 5 (1898)
⑦ Butterfly in E Minor Op. 6 (1898)
⑧ Minuet in F Sharp Major Op. 7 (1898)
⑨ Impromptu in A Flat Major Op. 9(a) (1899)
⑩ Song without Words in A Flat Major Op. 10 (1900)
⑪ Funeral March in B Minor Op.14 (1902)
Sechs Phantasiestücke / Maštanja / Six Fantasy Pieces Op. 17 (1903)
⑫ 1. Sehnsucht / Čežnja / Longing
⑬ 2. Leid / Patnja / Grief
⑭ 3. Frage / Pitanje / Question
⑮ 4. Klage / Tužaljka / Lament
⑯ 5. Bitte / Molba / Request
⑰ 6. Wahn / Tlapnja / Delusion
Blumenleben / Flowers’ Life Op. 19 (1904-1905)
⑱ 1. Schneeglöckchen / Snowdrops
⑲ 2. Veilchen / Violets
⑳ 3. Maiglöckchen / Lilies of the Valley
㉑ 4. Vergissmeinnicht / Forget-me-not
㉒ 5. Rose / Rose
㉓ 6. Rote Nelken / Red Carnations
㉔ 7. Lilien / Lilies
㉕ 8. Chrysanthemen / Chrysanthemums
DISC 2
① Lullaby in B Flat Major Op. 20 (1906)
② Valse de concert / Concert Waltz in B Flat Major Op. 21 (1906)
③ Erinnerung / Remembrance in A Flat Major Op. 24 (1908)
Walzer-Capricen / Caprice Waltzes Op. 28 (1910)
④ 1. Moderato
⑤ 2. Grazioso
⑥ 3. Im Ländler-Tempo
⑦ 4. Wiegend
⑧ 5. Lento
⑨ 6. Tempo giusto
⑩ 7. Allegretto
⑪ 8. Grazioso, allegramente
⑫ 9. Moderato
Vier Klavierstücke / Four Piano Pieces Op. 32(a) (1912)
（1. Widmung / Dedication－lost）
⑬ 2. Libelle / Dragonfly
⑭ 3. Papillon / Butterfly
⑮ 4. Abendgedanke / Evening Thought
⑯ Impromptu in B Major Op. 32(b) (1912)
Zwei Intermezzi / Two Intermezzi Op. 38 (1916)
⑰ 1. Ruhig und innig / Calmly and cordially
⑱ 2. Langsam und ausdrucksvoll / Slowly and expressively
Zwei Klavierskizzen / Two Piano Sketches Op. 44 (1918)
⑲ 1. An Dich! / To Thee!
⑳ 2. Vor deinem Bild / Before Thy Picture
㉑ Blütenwirbel / A Whirl of Blossoms in E Flat Major Op. 45 (1918)
㉒ Capriccio in B Flat Minor Op. 47 (1919)
Zwei Nocturnes / Two Nocturnes Op. 50 (1918, 1920)
㉓ 1. Sehr ruhig, mit innigem Ausdruck
㉔ 2. Leicht bewegt und verträumt
㉕ Humoreske / Humoresque in A Flat Major Op. 54(a) (1920)
㉖ Caprice / Caprice in F Major Op. 54(b) (1920)
㉗ Piano Sonata in A Flat Major Op. 57 (in one Movement) (1921)
Recorded 18. 19. 21-23 January 2014
at Koide-go Cultural Hall in Uonuma-City, Niigata, JAPAN
piano: New York Steinway CD368 /1912
HERB Classics Japan HERB-023/024
It is a matter of great pleasure that I have been able to bring to fruition my long-cherished wish to make a CD of the complete piano works of Dora Pejačević (1885-1923) on the 130th anniversary of her birth. I first became aware of the charm of her works when I was studying in Croatia, and encountered her lovely piano miniature “Rose”, as well as “Venice”, a setting of a poem by Friedrich Nietzsche for voice and piano, and felt impelled to know and to play her entire oeuvre. I hope that this 2CD set will introduce Dora Pejačević to the many outside her native land, where she is celebrated as the first significant Croatian woman composer, who are unaware of her work.
While making the recording, I was lucky to have come across a New York Steinway vintage grand piano made in 1912, which breathes the very atmosphere of the time when Pejačević was alive, kindly loaned for me to play on by Takagi Klavier Inc. The days of recording on this beautiful vintage piano spent in a snowy Niigata winter are unforgettable.
I would further like to express my deepest gratitude to all those who have helped and supported me in various ways in this project.
January 2015,
Yoko Nishii