Smetona,Vytautas / Smetona,Vytautas - All the Way Back - COMPACT DISCS [CD]

Boccherini / Mozart / Schubert / Piacere - A Piacere Ensemble Instrumental [COMPACT DISCS] date 03/01/2002

Exalted and expressive to just the right degree, Ohio-born pianist Vytautas Smetona fuses his American upbringing with his Lithuanian heritage in his recordings of Brahms, Chopin and his own work. His second on Navona exhibits technical command of the highest order, profound musical understanding and a clarity of interpretation which is seldom heard. No wonder, perhaps, considering that Smetona's recording debut in 1979 already boasted the ambitious combination of Chopin, Liszt, and Rachmaninoff; and what was an extraordinary musical feat already then has since ripened and mature into a sensible, sensitive approach to piano literature which has few equals. Where most concert pianists are afraid to fully dive into the depths of dynamic and expressive range, Smetona does so with bravura. This benefits him immensely for example, there is a furor in Brahms' fortissimi which is a refreshingly far cry from the rather coddled, mannered pianistic style so common today. Smetona strives against the stream, thunderously and energetically; it's how Beethoven would have played Brahms - and it's fantastic. But there's more, namely an entirely different quality when it comes to lyrical passages, particularly those abundant in Chopin's dances. Smetona plays them with a soft rationality, a logical kind of tenderness. This classical playing style applied to Romantic piano literature brings out every detail with elevated contrast. Nestled between Brahms and Chopin is Smetona's own work, Fantasy in F minor (2015). It fits perfectly with the program, at times reminiscent of the former and other times of the latter, with echoes of Rachmaninoff here and there. The tonal language is late-Romantic, with the improvisatory element firmly reigning over this composition. It's easy to imagine it as a modern cadenza to a concerto by Brahms (or, if one were to be audacious, one by Kalkbrenner or

Super Deluxe Limited Edition Multi- Set Featuring 2lp (Black), CD & DVD Including Surround Sound Audio & Hi-Res Stereo Plus A 24 Page Perfect Bound Book Presented In A Lift Off Lid Box. Keyboard legend Rick Wakeman releases his new concept album 'A Gallery Of The Imagination' via Madfish. The conception of the album began at the age of five. Rick's childhood piano teacher, Mrs Symes, taught him that musicians with instruments are like an artist with paint; something that Rick carried through his life, creating sonic paintings through his composition. Just as you might find a vast array of styles in an art gallery, Wakeman presents a plethora of musical aesthetics throughout the record. Inspired by the menagerie he created; Rick recalled the advice of his beloved teacher & has presented these tracks as pictures in a gallery; A Gallery Of The Imagination. Amongst the many clear prog influences & soaring Moog solos, Wakeman treats the ears to two solo piano numbers, which reflect Rick's classical roots & his love of the romantic period. On the other eight unconventional vocal tracks, Rick showcases the distinctive descriptive music carefully around the poetic lyrics.