Mily Alekseyevich Balakirev ： Piano Sonata No.2 in b-moll

Balakirev’s Piano Sonata No. 2 is a work that calls for dense harmonic color and a broad expressive scale. Powerful, dramatic passages contrast with long, songful melodies, and listening for the transitions between episodes makes the overall flow easier to follow. In performance, it is important to maintain a weighty sonority while clearly bringing out the movement of each voice, and to preserve the direction of the phrases without being carried away by sudden changes in dynamics or tempo. Even in thickly textured passages, the sound should remain clear, while technically demanding passages should avoid sounding mechanical and carefully distinguish musical tension from release.