Pianist Cheyne Yu
Pianist Cheyne Yu.
Pianist Cheyne Yu wrote: “The Seven Preludes are one of the earliest works by Arshak Andriasov, completed when he was seventeen years old. The whole set constitutes seven preludes that are titled from Monday to Sunday. The musical texture in terms of styles and characters for each prelude are versatile with depth. As a pianist, one may find the process for preparing the performance of the preludes a joy, that the same chord progression or the same melodic phrase reveals different colors each day. It feels as if a gemstone reflects varied colors that depend upon the different angles facing the sun. It is how this work responds to the performer because of its various richness and subtlety in each prelude. Surely once an able performer carries out the rendition of the beauty which residing in the piece, the audience would be mesmerized.
In May 2015, while I was preparing for my piano recital in Toronto that include the Preludes as one of my repertoire, I asked Arshak, how did he come up with such a mature work with depth in such a tender young age? He replied, “So many things in life that made me grow up way earlier, 17 years old was already with lots of experience.” It occurs to me that the then seventeen-year-old composer had been through an ordeal of being almost abducted when he was six years old to be traded for the works by his reputable father, the composer Iosif Andriasov, whose ideology on music and humanity has deeply influenced his only son. On mastering these Preludes, a sensitive pianist would definitely be touched by the invisible tender spirit yet firm belief of anything beautiful and harmonious that residing within the music itself. Most definitely, the audience who listens to it would feel the impact that descended from an admirable father to the son. It is a privilege for all music lovers and performing artists to be able to share music by Arshak Andriasov through live performances and all media.”
