Herbert Henck ALEXANDR MOSOLOV

Alexandr Mosolov's reputation in the West rested, until quite recently on a handful of orchestral works, in particular the 1928 Zavod (in English, The Iron Foundry). The piece's hammering rhythms cast the composer as the 'machine music' man, the embodiment of Russian Constructivism. This characterization worked against Mosolov in his own, troubled, lifetime and has continued to obscure the breadth of his music. In fact, Mosolov's compositional output was prolific and diverse as evident in his early works produced during the 1920's which included orchestral works, a symphony, two operas, numerous pieces of chamber music and the Sonatas and Noctures for Piano on this recording. In different ways, these pieces were attempts to bring the industrial soundscape into the concert hall and were received with much controversy. (ECM Records)