Ketevan Sharumashvili - Fantasia (2026)

C. P. E. Bach’s Fantasia in F-sharp minor, Wq. 67, is a striking example of the Empfindsamer Stil, a musical language centered on emotional immediacy and expressive freedom. The work unfolds in a highly improvisatory manner, with abrupt contrasts, unexpected silences, and sudden harmonic shifts that mirror the volatility of human feeling. Rather than following a fixed form, the fantasia moves as a succession of expressive impulses, giving the impression of spontaneous invention. Its intense rhetoric, dramatic pauses, and expressive dissonances anticipate later Romantic aesthetics, revealing C. P. E. Bach as a crucial bridge between the Baroque tradition and the emotional individualism of the nineteenth century.

Beethoven’s Piano Sonata quasi una fantasia No. 13 in E-flat major, Op. 27 No. 1, challenges the conventions of the Classical sonata by prioritizing continuity and character over formal symmetry. The movements flow without strong contrasts, creating the impression of a single, evolving musical thought rather than a sequence of separate forms. Beethoven experiments with texture, rhythm, and mood, blending lyricism with subtle tension. By labeling the work quasi una fantasia, he signals a new compositional freedom, anticipating the Romantic idea of the sonata as a vehicle for personal expression rather than a fixed formal blueprint.

Liszt’s Fantasia quasi una sonata (Dante Sonata) is a dramatic and visionary piano work inspired by Dante’s Divine Comedy. Rather than following classical sonata form, Liszt uses a free, fantasy-like structure to depict a journey through darkness, struggle, and transcendence. Highly virtuosic and intensely expressive, the piece explores extremes of harmony, texture, and emotion, culminating in a luminous transformation that suggests redemption and spiritual ascent. It stands as one of Liszt’s most profound explorations of narrative, imagination, and the piano’s symphonic potential.

Scriabin’s Piano Sonata No. 2 in G-sharp minor, Op. 19, often called the Sonata-Fantasy, blends late-Romantic lyricism with an emerging personal harmonic language. Inspired by images of the sea, the work unfolds in two movements that contrast nocturnal calm with restless motion. The first movement evokes a mysterious, moonlit atmosphere, marked by fluid textures and chromatic harmonies, while the second builds waves of energy through sweeping figurations and surging climaxes. Though still rooted in traditional tonality, the sonata already reveals Scriabin’s fascination with color, ecstasy, and the idea of music as a vehicle for inner transformation.

Scriabin’s Fantasy in B minor, Op. 28, is a highly expressive, single-movement work that marks a pivotal moment in his artistic development. Combining sweeping Romantic gestures with increasingly adventurous harmony, the piece unfolds as a continuous psychological narrative rather than a formal structure. Lyrical introspection alternates with turbulent, impassioned episodes, creating a sense of constant transformation. The fantasy-like form allows Scriabin to explore freedom of tempo, texture, and tonal direction, foreshadowing his later, more mystical style. The work exemplifies Scriabin’s growing belief in music as an intensely personal and visionary form of expression.

Valentin Silvestrov’s Zwei Dialoge mit Nachwort is a contemplative piano work that reflects the composer’s characteristic “metamusical” style, in which music seems to echo memories of itself. The two dialogues unfold as quiet exchanges between fragile melodic fragments, silences, and resonant harmonies, suggesting an intimate, inward conversation rather than dramatic argument. Time feels suspended, with simplicity and restraint creating emotional depth. The concluding Nachwort (epilogue) functions as a gentle afterthought, fading into stillness. Rather than asserting new ideas, the piece listens, remembers, and reflects, inviting the performer and listener into a shared space ofattentive, poetic listening.

Tracklist
01. Freie Fantasie (CD)
02. Andante (CD)
03. Allegro molto (CD)
04. Adagio (CD)
05. Allegro Vivace (CD)
06. Scriabin: Sonata No 2 - I Andante (CD)
07. Scriabin: Sonata No 2 - II Presto (CD)
08. Liszt: Fantasia quasi Sontata (CD)
09. Scriabin: Fantasy in B minor (CD)
10. Silvestrov: Wedding Walz (CD)
11. Silvestrov: Postlude (CD)
12. Silvestrov: Morning Serenade (CD)