Tchaikovsky: 18 Pieces for Solo Piano, Op. 72

Tchaikovsky’s music for solo piano is generally neglected, which makes Mikhail Pletnev’s live 2004 recital all the more valuable. The 18 Pieces for Solo Piano, Op. 72 range widely in mood and style, and Pletnev revels in the variety. The opening “Impromptu” bubbles with impish humor, as does the “Danse caractéristique,” where Pletnev playfully underlines the parallels with Tchaikovsky’s famous ballets. Both the “Chant élégiaque” and “Passé lointain” explore more inward-looking territory, and Pletnev’s response is thoughtfully poetic. The concluding “Scène dansante” is dazzling, its quirky lurches of perspective eliciting playing of mercurial brilliance. A mesmerizing account of Chopin’s Nocturne No. 20 in C-Sharp Minor serves as an encore to a recital which is always engrossing, and often revelatory.