Iwona Mironiuk - Zygmunt Krauze: Piano Works (2023)

On the whole, Zygmunt Krauze's small but concentrated body of keyboard music is as interesting as many of his contemporaries' larger but less focused oeuvres, and decidedly more intelligible in construction, technique, and expression than the bulk of experimental piano works from the last half of the twentieth century. Krauze's ideas, moods, and methods suggest the strong influence of his eastern European predecessors, most notably Bartók in his percussive sharpness and fondness for using folk themes, but also Shostakovich in his angular counterpoint and ironic tone. In the works dated 1958 and 1959, the style is unmistakably modernist and dryly intellectual in execution; these pieces -- mostly exercises in style and technique -- adequately represent Krauze's student period. But Triptych (1964) is a step away from early models, and in its density and tight chromatic weft reflect the composer's openness to complex sonorities and willingness to explore new currents of thought, though within certain boundaries. (In Krauze's piano music, there are no novel techniques of tone production, like plucked strings or prepared effects, and no wild theatrics, typical of the avant-garde.) Triptych, along with La chanson du mal-aimé (1990) and Refrain (1993), reflect Krauze's mature style without compromise, and despite their brevity, can stand with the most challenging piano music. The Music Box Waltz (1977) and Nightmare Tango (1987), however, seem more like occasional pieces in their slight content and gently humorous references, and may be regarded as minor efforts. Pianist Iwona Mironiuk turns in crystal clear performances of all the selections, and under the composer's guidance, makes this music convincing and enjoyable, even when it is most abrasive and difficult. Dux's audio is close-up and almost palpable, but quite natural in its resonance.