PIANO WORKS
Genre : Classical
Catalogue: Phasma-Music 085
UPC: 731093480669
This recording was funded with the generous support of the Bascom
Little Fund and the Kent State University Research Council.
Recorded at Kent State Stark
Recording, Editing and Mastering: Ian Anderson
Cover art and design: Axel La Pira
Special thanks: Mark and Anna Snowden, Alissa Shuster, Jeffrey Quick
production management: Iwona Glinka
graphic design: Michail Travlos
premiere: May 9, 2024
Sebastian Anthony Birch, composer
Yuka Nakayama-Lewicki, piano
The album PIANO WORKS by Sebastian Anthony Birch presents a collection of works written to introduce advanced young pianists to contemporary music. While the piano repertoire spans centuries and accommodates learners of all levels and ages, there is a distinct need for compositions designed to guide intermediate and advanced students into the intricate tapestry of contemporary musical vocabulary.
While it remains crucial for young musicians to study the entire development of keyboard music through the Baroque, Classical, Romantic, and Impressionistic periods, there is an equally essential place for the music of today.
Responding to the call from organizations committed to enhancing the contemporary music repertoire for young musicians, these compositions have been carefully crafted to gradually introduce young pianists to the evolving language of contemporary music. This expansive vocabulary not only encompasses the modernistic explorations within 20th-century “classical” music but also embraces elements of jazz, rock, and pop.
Each composition strives to enhance the traditional vocabulary of piano music by delicately pushing the boundaries of familiar musical elements. The harmonic palette expands with modal and synthetic scales, ventures into non-traditional chord progressions, embraces extended tertial chords, explores quintal and quartal harmony, and surprises with tone clusters. The rhythmic language includes syncopations, cross-rhythms, and asymmetrical and composite time signatures.
With a thoughtful approach, each piece introduces these elements within the context of the familiar, ensuring a seamless integration of the new into the already known. For instance, "Blizzard" maintains the rhythmic structure of a typical 16-note etude but disrupts expectations by grouping the 16th notes in sets of 5. Meanwhile, "Circus Menagerie Waltz" transforms waltz expectations with octatonic and Lydian Dominant scales.
While numerous pedagogical works infuse traditional piano technique with contemporary flavors like jazz, pop, rock, and world music, the majority of "classical contemporary" compositions often present significant technical and musical challenges, if not both.
The music on this CD acts as a bridge between the past and the present, offering pieces that complement the traditional piano repertoire. Each composition serves as a steppingstone, inviting young pianists to embark on a journey of discovery within the ever-evolving world of contemporary piano music.
Product details
01. Call of the Feathers+ [02:20]
02. Séparations+ [03:53]
Lake Erie Suite*
03. Sunrise [01:58]
04. Blizzard [01:36]
05. Winter Solitude [03:31]
06. Waves [01:39 ]
Toy Suite*
07. Flying Tops[01:23]
08. Wind Up Flowers [02:23]
09. Toy Soldier Stampede [01:18]
Springtime in Ohio*
10. Quintessence (everything is in 5) [03:14]
11. Winter’s Farewell [06:26]
12. Showers [04:47]
Animal Suite*
13. Araignée du soir, espoir (Evening spider, hope) [03:00]
14. Tango del gato y el raton (Cat and Mouse Tango) [02:44]
15. Il Volo dell’aquila (Flight of the Eagle) [01:59]
16. Circus Menagerie Waltz [02:25]
17. Hanagasa Ondo, Rhapsodic variations on a Japanese folk Song^ [08:16]
Total duration [53:33]
* Commissioned by the Cleveland Composers Guild Creativity: Learning through Experience XXVII-XXXI
+ Commissioned by Tuesday Musical Club,
^ Commissioned by The Canton Museum of Art.
