Greenbaum,Matthew - Psalter & Other Works - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

The Estudios rítmicos y sonoros (Studies in Rhythms and Sonorities) of Roberto Sierra, harken back to the grand virtuoso tradition of piano pieces by Chopin and Liszt. Without question, the Estudios continue to push the envelope of technical demands for the performer, as important Etude composers had always done in the past. They demand the utmost not only in a player's physical technique, courage, and sheer velocity, but also in their intellectual capacity. One must internalize the cross rhythms like a jazz drummer accurately enough to reveal the idealistic conception of the notation. The mysterious landscapes of the Piezas Líricas serve as a foil to the bustling excitement of the Estudios. The resonance and clarity of the acoustic in Auditorio Manuel de Falla offers the perfect ambience for these pieces, lending them the spiritual breadth they require. The inspiration of the Alhambra seems even to lend them a special aura of timelessness and mysticism. Album for the Young offers a striking contrast to both the turbo-charged virtuosity of the Estudios and the high-art sophistication of Piezas Líricas. The Album offers directness, charm, and even naïveté. The musical material represents scenes and ideas of childhood or family life, with folk-like simplicity. Unlike the well-known models, it is derived primarily from Latin-American musical elements. Critically acclaimed as a Inchmusician's pianist,Inch Matthew Bengtson has a unique combination of musical talents ranging from extraordinary pianist, to composer, analyst, and scholar of performance practice, and thus is in demand as both soloist and collaborator. An advocate of both contemporary and rarely performed music, he commands a diverse repertoire, ranging from William Byrd to György Ligeti and numerous contemporary composers.

Habibi are venturing into the unknown. While their self-titled debut combined the Colgate-white glisten of sixties-girl-group pop with an uncensored edge, their sophomore album responds to a current global climate of unease, weaving colourful 60's refrains with moodier, more expansive sonic textures. Anywhere but Here was created with Alex Epton in the XL Recordings studios with the ability to flesh out sounds and nuances which deepened the band's creative chemistry, a far shout from the DIY 20-somethings musicians-in-the-making who recorded in each other's bedrooms. With time on their side, Habibi were able to experiment with instruments like the 12-string guitar, ney flute, vibraphone and sitar, and call back previous collaborators such as tombak percussionist Yahya Alkhansa, adding Middle Eastern flourishes that continue to tell the story of their history and heritage.

The 'École de Paris' was a group of composers from Central and Eastern Europe who made the French capital their home in the 1920s and '30s. One of their number was the Romanian Marcel Mihalovici, born in Bucharest in 1898 and based in Paris from 1919 until his death in 1985 - one of the most significant of twentieth-century composers who has yet to receive the recognition he deserves. This first album dedicated to his piano music traces his stylistic evolution, the early blend of French insouciance, echoes of eastern European folk-music and Neo-Classical contrapuntal clarity gradually taking a tougher turn and blending Bartók and Bach. It ends with a monumental passacaglia for the left hand alone, one of the most daunting summits of the piano literature.