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John Roney: Preludes
ByRoney begins and ends this collection with composition from slightly before the Romantic Era (namely the High Baroque of J.S. Bach). Roney's approach is decidedly "post-modern," though not in the totally deconstructive way that Martial Solal is at his most effectively creative (save that he goes further than Solal on Duke Ellington's "Prelude to a Kiss"). Roney's Bach (Gershwin, DeBussy, Chopin, and Scriabin, for that matter) is a bit like Bill Evans meeting Franz Liszt at the crossroads to drink the tainted blood of Hugo Wolf.
Such is Roney's approach to the Gershwin preludes, as well as those of Chopin's included here. Sheer imagination and guts fuel the conception brought kinetic in these selections. Roney infuses his performances with the history of the piano not in any piecemeal manner, but all at once. This is not easy listening, but it is most rewarding. Roney makes Scriabin almost listenable (if not defining what is great in that enigmatic Russian's overly ambitious musical mind. Roney brings to this collection a creative mirth, if not sense of humor that proves that even the oldest music still has something to teach, offer, and prove.
Track Listing
Das wohltemperierte Klavier I: Prelude No. 2 in C Minor, BWV 847 Johann Sebastian Bach; Prelude No. 1, Allegro ben ritmato e deciso George Gershwin; Prelude No. 2, Andante con moto e poco rubato George Gershwin; Prelude No. 3, Allegro ben ritmato e deciso George Gershwin; Préludes, Book 2, L. 123: No. 5, Bruyères Claude Debussy; Préludes, Book 1, L. 117: Claude Debussy; Prelude to a Kiss Duke Ellington; 24 Preludes, Op. 28: No. 2 in A Minor Frédéric Chopin; No. 4 in E Minor Frédéric Chopin; 5 Preludes, Op. 16 No. 3 in G-Flat Major Alexander Scriabin; 7 Preludes, Op. 17: No. 6 in B-Flat Major Alexander Scriabin; Das wohltemperierte Klavier I: Prelude No. 6 in D Minor, BWV 851 Johann Sebastian Bach
Personnel
John Roney
pianoJohn Roney: piano.
Album information
Title: Preludes | Year Released: 2015 | Record Label: Effendi Records