Somi Kim’s Pictures: virtuosity on full display
Pianist Somi Kim: exploring the rich complexity of piano sound
The multi-coloured plumage of Ravel's famous orchestration of Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition is perhaps more popular than the solo piano original, but I’ve always preferred the raw drama and visceral impact of the latter.
For her new album Pictures New Zealand pianist Somi Kim explores the rich complexity of piano sound. She also brings something new, pairing her insightful interpretation of Mussorgsky's original with Aotearoa Pictures, an 11-part suite from New Zealand composer Janet Jennings.
Mussorgsky’s Pictures was composed in tribute to his artist friend Viktor Hartmann after the latter's sudden death aged just 39. The famous ‘Promenade’, played here with unaffected lightness, walks us into a gallery of Hartmann’s artworks.
Pictures at an Exhibition
“…for her new album pianist Somi Kim brings both her own insightful interpretation of Mussorgsky’s classic and a new work by Janet Jennings, Aotearoa Pictures.”
Kim’s virtuosity is on full display. There’s dramatic attack in ‘Gnomus’, lovely long-spun melody in ‘The Old Castle’, light-hearted children squabbling in ‘Tuileries’, and lugubrious ‘Bydlo’, inspired by a painting of plodding oxen.
Her facility and sense of character are perfect for the fleet “Ballet of Unhatched Chicks”, reflecting Hartmann’s stage designs. For two Polish Jews of the 6th movement Kim illustrates arguing characters with an array of timbres, before another unfussy ‘Promenade” into the populous market at Limoges.
The suddenly darkness of ‘Catacombs’ reflects Mussorgsky’s grief, Kim allowing time for the harmonies to unfold. The composer mentions “gleaming skulls”, setting high-pitched quiet tremolos against deep resonance.
The breathtaking, penultimate ‘Hut on Hen’s Legs’ is Pictures’ emotional climax, depicting witch Baba Yaga in frightening chase. I’ve heard this movement both faster and more terrifying and wished Kim had pushed it even further.
With wonderful power and grandeur she depicts the final ‘Great Gate of Kiev’, bells pealing, priests chanting - a profoundly majestic ending to a great work.
Composer Janet Jennings
…her Aotearoa Pictures is a terrific foil for Mussorgsky’s Pictures at an Exhibition.”
Aotearoa Pictures: Eleven Thoughts Form, Jennings’ responses to artworks by four New Zealanders, makes a terrific foil for the Mussorgsky. Artist Areez Katki inspired the first three movements, his fragmented embroidered surfaces and complex layered khadi paper marvellously reflected in contrapuntal textures. Kim’s playing is all delicious character and dreamy lightness, rapid gestures tossed off with ease.
Next, three atonal movements, based on art by Alberto Garcia Alvarez, bring a darker, heavier quality, Kim’s versatility allowing variety in style and sonority.
Hiria Anderson-Mita’s oil-paintings of agricultural trophies have inspired four charmingly humorous movements. In Champion Short Horn Cow, the cow “makes her own comments in the bass-line…as she plods towards her moment of triumph.” A droll answer to Mussorgsky’s ‘Bydlo’?
Champion Short Horn Cow by Hiria Anderson-Mita
“…is Jennings’ music, inspired by this painting, a droll answer to Mussorgsky’s ‘Bydlo’?”
Image courtesy of Tim Melville Gallery
Music glowing with shadowy colours ends the suite, conjuring Star Gossage’s painting that inspired the 11th piece. Jennings’ Aotearoa Pictures is a brilliant addition to Aotearoa’s solo piano music.
Star Gossage’s painting “Our Place in the Sun” inspired music glowing with shadowy colours, the final piece of Janet Jennings’ Aotearoa Pictures suite.
Private collection
Pictures at an Exhibition Somi Kim (piano) music by Mussorgsky and Janet Jennings (Atoll) More information and purchase link here
This album review was first published in NZ Listener issue 10 August 2024