In Brief... Raff Piano Music, Voi 3: Album lyrique, action he repeats several times during the Prague and Paris-educated Wladislaw Op 17; Cinq Eglogues, Op 105; Impromptu- opening minutes. Such overt drama is Zelenski (1857-1921) is remembered, if at Valse, Op 94: Fantaisie-Polanaise, Op 106 uncharacteristic, since much of the all, for his operas. His Piano Quartet is Tra Nguyen (pf) subsequent musical dialogue is intensely darkly Romantic and the players display a Grand Piano GP634, 77 minutes quiet, scraps of sound that hang in the clear rapport, with Plownght careful silence. Tilbury is a spare improviser, never to obfuscate textures; the highlight British-Vietnamese pianist Tra Nguyen adhering to a spartan beauty, while is the gorgeously sustained, rapt continues her journey through the piano Prevost generates an astonishing variety Romance, which contrasts with the music of Joachim Raff with this disc of of shimmering percussive timbres, some angular, playful Intermezzo. premiere recordings, dominated by the so strange they almost confound language The short-lived Liszt pupil Julius Album tyrique of 1845. The five volumes - can metal yelp, or a sigh shine? GL Zarebski (1854-85) was a virtuoso whose that make up this work sum up the appeal music is notably intense, especially in its and charm of this composer. Volume J Here use of counterpoint. Mystery infuses the comprises three Reveries; Nguyen keeps MooV {Colin Riiey. piano/electronics/producer; ululating surfaces and metric feints of the them moving nicely. The longing gestures Elisabeth Nygard, voice; Natalie Rozario, ceilo; Quintet's Adagio (featuring some lovely of the Ballade (Volume 2) are also effective. Pete Wilson, bass; Rob Miliett, percussion) cello playing from Marcin Sieniawski), in One does, though, get the feeling that Squeaky Kate Music ISMN 8-32929-00006-5, which the demonstration standard ideas are not always fleshed out by the 56 minutes recording really comes into its own. A composer before he moves on to the next fascinating disc, lovingly produced. CC task and, despite Nguyen's unwavering I reviewed Colin Riley's Skin and Wire advocacy, the work does seem overlong. album back in January/February 2012. Here, Brahms Ballades, Op 10; Klavierstucte, Op 76; The Chopinesque decorations of the First his new disc, is voice-led, featuring Variations on a Theme of Paganini, Op 35: Nocturne (Volume 3) are charming, Elisabeth Nygard (sometimes multi- Brahms/Cziffra/Bax Hungarian Dance No 5 though, while the virtuoso Scherzo of tracked), who adopts a breathy, close-miked Alessio Bax (pf) Volume 4 is also impressive. The work sound pioneered some 50 years ago by Signum SICCD309, 75 minutes leads to the 10-minute, granitic Astrud Gilberto. Lyrics are fragmentary and Introduction et Fugue of Volume 5. rarely comprehensible; the backing group is Italian pianist Alessio Bax, winner of the The gentler Eglogues benefit from minimalist, mildly avant-garde and/or 2000 Leeds International Piano Nguyen's subtle touch, but there is faintly gamelan-inspired. None of the 13 Competition, is a player of refreshing surprising virtuosity here, too: the tracks is fast or otherwise exciting and the depth. In an age of the hyper-virtuoso, Impromptu-Valse absolutely sparkles total effect is of a drug-inspired 1970s film Bax presents a Brahms recital that aims to under her fingers, while the Fantaisie- soundtrack.The pianist, vocalist and cellist show the contrasting sides of the Polonaise is an effective marriage of Liszt are credited as composers, but to me it all composer's piano music, from the and Raff. A stimulating disc. CC sounds like a good (but not great) autumnally ruminative to the overtly improvisation class. Rewarding to create, no virtuosic. The former is beautifully AMM Two London Concerts doubt, but nothing here tempted me to demonstrated by the Op 10 Ballades, each John Tilbury (pf), Eddie Prevost (percussion) listen again. MR chord carefully weighted and coloured. Match/ess Recordings MRCDS5, 78 minutes Signum's recording faithfully captures Zelenski Piano Quartet, Op 61 the burnished quality of Bax's sound. Formed in 1965, AMM remains Zarebski Piano Quintet, Op 34 Even when playing staccato, he maintains committed to an aesthetic of total Jonathan Pfowright (pf), a full tone, and in his hands the Fourth improvisation. Past members and guest Szymanowski Quartet Ballade becomes a full-scale tone-poem. players have included , Hyperion CDA67905, 72 minutes The Op 76 pieces seem a logical , and Christian continuation, and here Bax reveals great Wolff, though the basic line-up since 2005 The combination of Hyperion's state-of- awareness of the part writing. has been the duo of co-founder Eddie the-art recording, an inspired repertoire The two books of Paganini Variations Prevost and pianist John Tilbury (perhaps choice and committed, musicianly pose few, if any, technical challenges for better known as an outstanding performer performances makes this disc a winner. this pianist. Yet it is the reflective of composers such as Cage and Feldman), Both composers featured here are variations that truly resonate (the tender who joined AMM in 1980. deserving of further exposure (try also the and intimate llth Variation of Book 1, Two London Concerts begins with excellent CPO disc of Zarebski solo piano for example) and Bax revels, too, in the Tilbury's arm striking the keyboard, an works played by Marian Mika). The more exploratory second book. CC

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