Rehearing Evgeni Koroliov’s 2007 recital of four Handel suites leaves a generally positive impression. In the D minor suite HWV 437, the pianist ornaments the repeats with taste, but his rounded phrasing and finger legato throughout the Allemande sounds uneventfully sedate when heard alongside Scipione Sangiovanni’s vitality and varied articulations. On the other hand, Koroliov goes wild in the D minor HWV 428’s improvisatory Prelude, and convincingly alters points of balance and emphasis throughout the Air and Five Variations. The pianist’s changes in pace and astute timing of silences add dramatic vitamins to the concluding Presto.
While Danny Driver’s headlong treatment of the G minor suite’s famous Passacaille conveys sweep and momentum, some listeners may prefer the grandeur characterizing Koroliov’s slower tempos and wider dynamic contrasts. He brings an altogether lighter touch to the G major suite, from the Allegro’s playful downward scales and the liltingly lithe Courante to the wittily dispatched Presto and the Menuetto’s hard-hitting accents. Next to Sviatoslav Richter’s comparably galloping Gigue, Koroliov’s is more shapely and nuanced. It’s good to have this disc back in the catalog.
