YEVGENI GUNST (1877-1950): Sonate-Fantaisie in F Minor, Op. 8, Sonata No. 2 in C Sharp Minor, Op. 10, 3 Préludes, Op. 13, 3 Heidelberger Skizzen, Op. 6, 2 Romances sans Paroles in E Minor, Op. 2, 5 Danses fantasques, Op. 29, 12 Miniatures, Op. 28.

Description: A well-connected composer and pedagogue in Moscow, friend of Scriabin for the last five years of his life, student of Goldenweiser and Gliere, Gunst vanished from musical history after fleeing Russia in 1920 and ending up in Paris where he was devastated by the Depression and lived a hardscrabble life ekeing out a living by doing workaday musical tasks for others. His nachlass only came to light a few years ago in Basle and these recordings were made from manuscripts. A huge discovery for collectors of Russian piano music of the period, late Romantic in his early works, charged with Scriabinesque color and harmonies in his two sonatas and the two latest pieces here, dating from his Parisian years, suites of character pieces with subtle flavors of Ravel now present also. There's a lot more where this came from; will we ever hear it? Susanne Lang (piano).