Tavener and Palin
Yes, it’s John Tavener, but no, it’s not that Palin. This piano piece is a masterpiece of timbre and dynamics. Written in 1980, it’s supposed to be a reflection of the changes in light and color seen from the top of the island of Patmos. The island itself is an interesting topic, with a documented history of human civilization dating back to 2000 BC.Structurally, the piece begins by exploring some of the percussive, bell like textures at the top end of the piano, which progressively alternate with middle-range chords, ostinatos, sweeping arpeggios, and thumbing bass notes. The sparse harmonies are dense and mysterious, separating the piece from some of the minimalist harmonic structures used by Glass or Reich. It is also far more violent or dramatic in texture than the works of these minimalists. The relationship to Debussy’s storm pieces (e.g., Ce qu’a vu le vent d’ouest) seems strong to my ears.
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Details regarding this recording performed by Ralph van Raat can be obtained from the Naxos website. The entire album is highly recommended for anyone interested in contemporary concert piano music. The link below includes more audio samples and a discussion regarding the collection:
http://blog.naxos.com/2008/07/08/sir-john-tavener-piano-music/
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