🇺🇦Nikolai Kapustin ： Vanity of Vanities Op.121

Kapustin’s *Vanity of Vanities*, Op. 121, is a piano work that combines classical writing with jazz idioms and a vibrant rhythmic character. Frequent rhythmic shifts and syncopation drive the music forward, while its songful treatment of melody adds expression to the flow. Highlights include the momentum created by sharp accents and light, agile motion, as well as the changing sonorities. In performance, aim to maintain precise control of the complex rhythms while shaping the phrases flexibly so that the music does not sound mechanical. Balanced voicing between the hands, clear articulation, and a steady tempo are also essential to bringing out the work’s appeal.