Composer: Aaron Copland, Michael Tilson Thomas, Earl Wild
Performer: John Wilson
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Avie
Catalogue: AV2458
Release: 2022
Size: 1.12 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
Thomas: Upon Further Reflection
01. I. Bygone Beguine (1973)
02. II. Sunset Soliloquy (Whitsett Avenue, 1963)
03. III. You Come Here Often? (Hello Stranger, 1977)
Wild: 7 Virtuoso Etudes after Gershwin
04. I. Liza
05. II. Somebody Loves Me
06. III. The Man I Love
07. IV. Embraceable You
08. V. Lady Be Good
09. VI. I Got Rhythm
10. VII. Fascinatin’ Rhythm
Copland: Piano Sonata (1939-41)
11. I. Molto moderato
12. II. Vivace
13. III. Andante Sostenuto
The dynamic young American pianist John Wilson first encountered Michael Tilson Thomas in 2015 when he was a fellow with the New World Symphony. John’s status quickly evolved to that of close confidant and collaborator, leading to this solo debut album featuring the world-premiere recording of the title track, MTT’s three-movement suite for piano, Upon Further Reflection.
MTT explains innumerable influences that are embedded throughout the work, including the piano music of Debussy and Schumann, bossa nova, gamelan, ragas, Monteverdi, Berg and Peggy Lee’s rendition of the song Alley Cat, all of which “flowed together in a way that seemed completely natural… to me anyway.”
In 2019, John premiered a portion of Upon Further Reflection that was broadcast live on Medici.TV to an audience of over 50,000. John embellishes the album’s Americana theme with two titans of the solo piano repertoire: Aaron Copland’s early Piano Sonata, a work lesser-heard than the composer’s other works for solo piano, and Earl Wild’s virtuoso arrangements of seven of George Gershwin’s most iconic tunes.