Release Date: 27 January 2023
Label: Odradek Records
Packaging Type: Digipak
No of Units: 1
Barcode: 0810042704381
Genres: Classical Solo Instrumental
Description
In an album of world-premiere recordings, Steinway Artist Nicolas Costantinou performs 12 Preludes for solo piano by Constantinos Y Stylianou, each inspired by a different work of art.
In 2008, as part of a series of events to mark the French Presidency of the EU, Stylianou was asked to compose a piece of music for solo piano to be performed at the Great Hall of the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris. This resulted in two pr ludes, each one inspired by a work of art (painting or sculpture); the choice of form was also influenced by Debussy's two Books of Pr ludes. Following those two initial piano works, Stylianou decided to continue composing pr ludes until a cycle of 12 was completed. The last prelude was composed in 2014, with final revisions made in 2018.
From the set's starting point of a prehistoric sculpture of a winged goddess, Stylianou embraces a wide range of art: Mondrian's Composition with Blue and Yellow (1932); Cezanne's L'etang des soeurs (1875); Turner's Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth (1842); Campin's The Weeping Angel from the Seilern Triptych (c. 1410/15); Die Lebensstufen (1835) by Caspar David Friedrich; L'homme qui marche (1947) by Alberto Giacometti; Matisse's La le on de piano (1916); Klimt's The Kiss (1907/08); Kandinsky's Le rond rouge (1939); O kosmos tis K'prou (1967/72) by Adamantios Diamantis; and finally The Dance (1988) by Paula Rego. The result is a vivid, colourful and inspired series of preludes, each one distinguished not only by a unique tonal and stylistic character, but also by the personal approach to the instrument that is so characteristic of this composer's style.
Tracklisting
Nuno Côrte-Real, Ensemble Darcos & Coro Ricercare
Artur Pizarro, Sinfonieorchester Wuppertal, Julia Jones
Ingibjorg Azima
Jenaer Philharmonie, Simon Gaudenz
Carion Wind Quintet
Johannes Fleischmann
Tony Addison Sextet
Vasco Pimentel Trio
Nora von Marschall
Lea Suter
Aart Bergwerff
Ran Jia
Johannes Krahl
Elke Volker
Henry Fairs
Pieter van Dijk
