Berliner Meister Schallplatten | Paavali Jumppanen | Moments in Time

"On my second D2D recording, I wanted to play compositions from three different eras, after the first (BMS 1201) referenced the 'golden era' of the vinyl record. The medium is perfect for capturing the immediacy and alertness of a concert performance, which is perhaps the most important aspect shared by the works of Boulez, Chopin and my compatriot Kuusisto. The pieces themselves are independent of each other.

The three works on the disc represent important pillars of my repertoire. No pianist can get past Chopin (and hardly anyone would even wish to). Jaakko Kuusisto is one of the many composers of my generation whose works I have premiered. As a performing artist, I feel a responsibility to support the creation of new music, and this responsibility is an ongoing source of inspiration.

Having recorded the Boulez sonatas for CD about ten years ago, it was fantastic to now revisit the third sonata. For one thing, I've had the opportunity to live with the piece on stage over the years, and for another, 2015 brings the composer's 90th birthday. My desire was to give a new meaning of 'now' to the work, which is notorious for being difficult to incorporate into a concert program.

The selection of works on the disc challenges our view of what is modern. The styles of the three composers can easily be described as distinct, but the question of their view of musical progress is ambiguous. Boulez, of course, is an ardent advocate that music must be progressive, but the attitudes of Chopin and Kuusisto can only be speculated upon. Nevertheless, the question of progress as a concept quickly becomes irrelevant when listening to the three different pieces. The three compositions all live on sounding ideas that ultimately capture moments in time. This idea gave the LP its title."

(Paavali Jumppanen)

Side A

Frédéric Chopin

1. Barcarolle F# major op. 60

Jaakko Kuusisto

2. Jurmo op. 31

Side B

Pierre Boulez

1. Piano Sonata No. 3