STEVEN STUCKY: Four Album Leaves; Three Little Variations for David; ESA-PEKKA SALONEN: Yta II; 3 Preludes; Dichotomie; LUTOSLAWSKI: Piano Sonata – Gloria Cheng, piano – Telarc CD-80712, 71:35 *****:
Gloria Cheng has been a long-time activist for music of our time, and here she gives us a well-planned album featuring mainly the music of soon to be former music director of the L.A. Philharmonic Esa-Pekka Salonen, with side features of Pulitzer Prize winner Steven Stucky, and a real treasure, the early and quite romantic sounding sonata of Witold Lutoslawski.
The latter serves as a mentor of sorts for the other two composers on this disc, and if you think you know his music well, think again. Although the work is a product of his student years, it is quite unlike anything you have heard by him before, and is only now being unearthed for this recording. Take the sweep of Faure, the delicacy of Debussy and the passion of Franck, and you might get an idea of what this sounds like. I was shocked, and Cheng has done us a favor by presenting this.
I have always appreciated the music of Salonen, even when I didn’t especially like it, but I am happy to say here that these three compositions have much to offer. Salonen appeals to my heart by being a very careful craftsman, with every note and effect having a real reason for being there and not at all superfluous. Though the treatment is rigorous and compellingly integrated, the music is still very attractive, and his piano soundworld is one that invites much further consideration and study.
Stucky’s miniatures almost seem robbing Debussy. There are parts of these pieces that could have come straight from his Etudes, and again, as in Salonen’s case, not being a pianist by trade seems to have helped in that it all sounds so very natural and idiomatic to the instrument, as one who has taken the time to be very careful of what is written. The moods are lovely and convincing, rounding out a disc of fine quality and interesting content. Telarc’s sound is on par. Highest recommendation.
— Steven Ritter
Gloria Cheng has been a long-time activist for music of our time, and here she gives us a well-planned album featuring mainly the music of soon to be former music director of the L.A. Philharmonic Esa-Pekka Salonen, with side features of Pulitzer Prize winner Steven Stucky, and a real treasure, the early and quite romantic sounding sonata of Witold Lutoslawski.
The latter serves as a mentor of sorts for the other two composers on this disc, and if you think you know his music well, think again. Although the work is a product of his student years, it is quite unlike anything you have heard by him before, and is only now being unearthed for this recording. Take the sweep of Faure, the delicacy of Debussy and the passion of Franck, and you might get an idea of what this sounds like. I was shocked, and Cheng has done us a favor by presenting this.
I have always appreciated the music of Salonen, even when I didn’t especially like it, but I am happy to say here that these three compositions have much to offer. Salonen appeals to my heart by being a very careful craftsman, with every note and effect having a real reason for being there and not at all superfluous. Though the treatment is rigorous and compellingly integrated, the music is still very attractive, and his piano soundworld is one that invites much further consideration and study.
Stucky’s miniatures almost seem robbing Debussy. There are parts of these pieces that could have come straight from his Etudes, and again, as in Salonen’s case, not being a pianist by trade seems to have helped in that it all sounds so very natural and idiomatic to the instrument, as one who has taken the time to be very careful of what is written. The moods are lovely and convincing, rounding out a disc of fine quality and interesting content. Telarc’s sound is on par. Highest recommendation.
— Steven Ritter
