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John Tilbury

For Tomasz Sikorski

Label: Bolt

Format: CD

Genre: Electronic

Out of stock

This release then of three short pieces under ten minutes by the Pole; Autograph (1980), Rondo (1984) and Zertstreutes Hinausschauen (1971) clearly holds some emotional resonance for Tilbury as he reflects on the music of his deceased old friend, and he then adds a fourth track here, a thirteen minute long improvisation in Sikorski's memory. The composed pieces here are each a nice listen, with the opening Autograph possibly the pick, as small flurries of melodic fragment are rotated, so as to create a vague sensation of verse and chorus, but the real joy of this music feels to be less about the actual notes and chords used but more the depth and volume of the way they are played, the deep resonance of the piano, with pedals depressed, something about the physicality of it. I have not heard any other music by Sikorski, but cannot help but feel that he tempers his composition so as to pull the best from the individual acoustic properties of each instrument he writes for. I am reminded a little of how Lachenmann writes to explore the possibilities of individual instruments, but rather than propose any form of extended technique here() Tucked away at the end of the album however sits thirteen minutes of quite extraordinarily powerful, intense improvisation. The non-notated piece Tilbury has added to this album is amongst the best few minutes of such music you are likely to come across for a while. Ranging from the deep, booming depth charge strikes inside the piano that open the track, through violent plucks and strikes at the strings, combinations of high register notes and similarly deep groans and little, typically Tilburyesque little arpeggios, this is wonderful music.' Richard Pinnell (The Watchful Ear)
Details
Cat. number: BR1014
Year: 2012
Notes:

Autograph (1980)
Rondo (1984)
Zertstreutes Hinausschauen (1971)

Recorded on the 15th of December 2011 in Królikarnia.

Total time: 35:28.

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