Woman
at the New Piano is an album with a surely cosmic purpose; a
commemoration in music of an (almost) monumental (and now likely
forgotten) event that thankfully did not come to pass. “In the year
2012”, pianist Nadia Shpachenko writes in the album notes, “the
nation was swept by a fear that had not been seen since the Y2K
transition of January 1, 2000." According to a Mayan calendar and
accompanying legends, the world would end on December 21st,
2012 since the calendar went no further, or something like that.
Waking up seemingly alive and in the same world as the day before,
Nadia thought “let's celebrate and document this great transition!
Let's write and perform new pieces which capture where we are, and
where we are going. It's a whole new world, let's play it!”
Indeed
this prodigiously talented, California-based pianist and teacher, has
recorded a delightful and diverse program of brand new works she
commissioned in 2013 from four outstanding composers, Tom Flaherty,
Peter Yates, Adam Schoenberg and James Matheson. Released on the
Reference Recordings FRESH! label, devoted to recordings of new artists and new repertoire.
I was
particularly interested in the four movement suite “Picture Etudes”
by Adam Schoenberg for solo piano since I was very familiar with the
orchestral version “Picture Studies” having attended the premiere
with the Kansas City Symphony in 2012. But before I could program the
machine to play those tracks, I was immediately immersed in the
absorbing, colorful and animated sound world of Tom Flaherty's
“Airdancing” for Piano, Toy Piano and Electronics.
Inspired
by floating and falling images of cliff divers, giant squids and
daredevil “Fearless Felix” Baumgartner's dramatic supersonic
skydive from 39km above the earth, “Airdancing” is 8 minutes
kinetic movement that takes you along on a falling, floating journey.
The prominent timbre of the toy piano may first evoke the works of
George Crumb and John Cage, but very soon dark and foreboding
electronic percussion sounds contrast and then lighten to propel the
work forward. Flaherty often integrates the instruments into a single
entity and then just as suddenly unleashes them to go their separate
ways, careening to a sweeping, swirling end that evaporates in to
eerie silence.
Arresting,
dramatic, exhilarating and sometimes briefly serene, “Airdancing”
stretches the listener's imagination and challenges the ear while
being accessible and frankly smile producing enjoyable. Reference
Recordings' clear, detailed sonics bring out every nuance,
never overwhelming the toy piano but also never distorting it to
absurdity. Shpachenko clearly commands and loves this colorful work,
and is more than ably assisted by Genevieve Feiwen Lee on the toy
piano and electronics.
So
after listening to “Airdancing” a few times, I skipped on to the
Schoenberg (although taking the works in the CD's order is just as
rewarding).
“Picture
Etudes” and the related “Studies” draws obvious connections to
Mussorgsky's “Pictures at an Exhibition”. Both works have piano
and orchestra versions and musically reflect a series of paintings
in a gallery. While Mussorgsky's pictures are of one artist,
Schoenberg's inspiration came from paintings by a variety of artists
in the Nelson-Atkins Museum in Kansas City, MO.
Four of the Ten orchestra movements were selected by the composer to
make up “Etudes” If curious about the orchestra
version, it has been recorded by Reference Recordings and the Kansas
City Symphony for future release.
“Three
Pierrots”, inspired by Bloch's “Die Drei Pierrots Nr. 2) is
ironic, witty and pulsing with nervous, percussive energy. A lot of
story and music in a short two minutes. Following is “Miró's
World” a reflection on “Women at Sunrise” Joan Miró. Similarly
spontaneous and rhythmically vibrant (even adding a part for a drum),
“Miró's World” is playful and a bit jazzy, contrasting with the
following “Olive Orchard” inspired by Van Gogh's same titled
painting. Languid and romantic, “Olive Orchard” is simply
beautiful music and the emotional core of the suite. Shpachenko never
lets the music get mushy or sweet, Van Gogh's intensity and drama are
never far from the surface. “Kandinsky” a musical portrait of
Wassily Kandinsky's “Rose with Gray” serves as the finale to the
suite. The percussion returns to accent the dry, starkly dramatic
piano which sweeps and propels the piece to a crashing, sweeping
conclusion.
Shpachenko
makes a most convincing case for these portraits and we are unlikely
to get such a definitive, affectionate recording soon. As with
Mussorgsky, the piano only version gives the listener insight to the
inner voices and the frame of the music while the orchestral can
dazzle with color and power. Both are worth hearing.
Schoenberg
also provides the concluding work on the CD. Also existing in an orchestral version, “Bounce”, for two pianos, is a ten
minute playful romp inspired by the 100th anniversary of
the “Rite of Spring” and the impending birth of Schoenberg's son.
Danceable, fun, enjoyable and superbly executed by Shpachenko with
Genevieve Feiwen Lee on the second piano.
Peter
Yates' colorful “Pandora's box”, as the composer describes them,
six movement suite “Finger Songs” ably demonstrates Shpachenko's
range of technique. From sophisticated jazz in “Mood Swing”, misty
landscapes in “Mysterious Dawn” and on to adolescent hijinks and
light hearted fun with hints of Ragtime in “Gambol” and “All
Better”, “Finger Songs” is an important addition to the
contemporary piano literature, totally accessible, totally
interesting and 100% fun to hear.
Tom
Flaherty returns in “Part Suite-a” (to rhyme with partita), a
decidedly darker and more introspective than “Airdancing”. A
take-off on the baroque suite, the three movements are woven around
characteristic elements of the passacaglia, sarabande and scherzo
forms. The darker, complex “Passacagliatude” unfolds to a
powerful essay from a simple bass ostinato. “Lullabande” is a
sweet lullaby with the characteristic sway of the ancient dance. The
concluding “Scherzoid” is a virtuoso, tumultuous, romp tinged
just a hair with some drama.
The
longest single movement in the program, James Matheson's “Cretic
Variations” takes us on a kaleidoscopic voyage from a single
repeated high note through contrasting variations to an ambiguous
quiet ending. The title refers to the poetic cretic foot meter (long,
short, long) which, as the composer notes may “..lend itself better
to Dr Seuss than more serious poetic endeavors”. Matheson
stretches and teases this inherently simple phrase to create a
powerful, lyrical and demanding set of variations. Another work that
can, and should, become a staple of recitals and programs.
Stellar
performances, usual fine Reference Recordings
sound throughout, informative liner notes and a most varied and energetic program make “Woman at the
New Piano” a clear winner and a new favorite here.
Woman At the New Piano
Nadia Shpachenko, Piano
Genevieve Feiwen Lee, Piano and Toy Piano
Reference Recordings FRESH FR 711
Nadia Shpachenko, Piano
Genevieve Feiwen Lee, Piano and Toy Piano
Reference Recordings FRESH FR 711
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