Dreams of a Young Piano

If a piano had youthful ambition, it might be to attain all the capabilities of an orchestra—the lyricism of strings and winds, the bright body of brass, the timbral variety of the ensemble. In solo piano music, the piano aspires to be all those things—pianists make it their business to evoke a rich palette of colors and to turn a percussive instrument into a singing voice. This piece is a playful exploration: what if a piano could simply become these other instruments? In the beginning of the first movement, the piano and two percussionists are a trio, exchanging pointed attacks, while the ensemble exists in a separate world. The trio’s sounds gradually grow longer, and the piano enlists the ensemble to join them. Ultimately, the ensemble becomes an extension of the piano’s sounds, and all instruments on stage resonate together as one body.

Stephen Lewis, conductor

Andrew Munsey, recording engineer