Composer: Nabil Benabdeljalil, Salim Dada, Akin Euba, Florence Price, Fela Sowande, Girma Yifrashew
Performer: Rebeca Omordia
Format: FLAC (tracks)
Label: Somm
Catalogue: SOMMCD0688
Release: 2024
Size: 1.16 GB
Recovery: +3%
Scan: yes
01. Yifrashewa: Elita, “Cry of Joy”
Dada: Miniatures Algériennes
02. I. Aurore de Djurdjura
03. II. Danse Zaydan
04. III. Crépuscule sur la baie d’Alger
05. IV. Danse de la Jument
06. V. Soirée au Hoggar
Benabdeljalil: Prélude I
07. Magic Morning
Benabdeljalil: Prelude II
08. Mirage et lumière
09. Benabdeljalil: Romance sans paroles
10. Benabdeljalil: Frisson de la Nuit
11. Koapeng: Prelude in D-Flat
12. trad.: Senzeni Na? (Arr. for Piano by Grant McLachlan)
Sowande: 2 Preludes on Yoruba Sacred Folk Melodies
13. No. 1, “K’A Mura”
14. Price: Fantasie Nègre in E Minor
Euba: Wakar Duru
15. Study in African Pianism No. 4
16. Study in African Pianism No. 1
17. Study in African Pianism No. 2
“African Pianism” takes its title from Ghanaian J.H. Kwabena Nketia’s set of Twelve Pedagogical Pieces, richly influenced by the rhythmic, tonal accent of African percussion music. Ayo Bankole’s Egun Variations, remarks Robert Matthew-Walker in his booklet notes, “skilfully melds… Nigerian musical language within a European G major tonal structure”. Fellow Nigerians Christian Onyeji and Akin Euba also interrogate African drumming technique to brilliant effect in the former’s Ufie (Igbo Dance), the latter’s Three Yoruba Songs Without Words celebrating indigenous song. David Earl’s Princess Rainbow, from his autobiographical Scenes from a South African Childhood, is a touching memory of fly-fishing with his father.
Hailed as an “African classical music pioneer” (BBC World Service) and “a classical music game changer” (Classical Music), pianist Rebeca Omordia is an exciting virtuoso with a wide-ranging career as soloist, chamber musician and recording artist. She is artistic director of the African Concert Series in London, part of Wigmore Hall’s Family of Partners.