John Pitts, Steven Kings - 7 Airs & Fantasias And Other Piano Music
STYLE: Classical RATING OUR PRODUCT CODE: 78843-15311 LABEL: Independent FORMAT: CD Album ITEMS: 1 RRP: £10.00
Reviewed by Andy Whitehead
This entirely instrumental CD contains music composed by Britain's John Pitts and played predominantly on piano by Steven Kings. Some of the tracks are vaguely reminiscent of the minimalist style of popular classical composer Ludovico Einaudi. The album begin with two stand-alone pieces and then tracks vary in style and are divided into seven "air" tracks and seven "fantasia" tracks. That these tracks alternate on the track listing (air, then fantasia, then air again, etc.) serves to clearly highlight the differences and similarities in style between the two. The air tracks are traditional ballad-style pieces dominated by melody and a more rigid structure. The fantasia tracks are more experimental, occasionally featuring bell or plucked string sounds and possessing an improvisational or loose musical structure. Notable tracks include "Fantasia 2", which is given the sub-title "On The Westminster Chimes", it musically quotes the famous tune played on the Westminster Chimes that signifies the arrival of a new hour and explores this melody in an engaging and original way. This album is a musical treat for anyone who enjoys original piano music; it draws from many musical sources and explores them in an abstract and intriguing way, without compromising the originality of the composition. The music never strays too far from conventional tonal music and stays calm, relaxing and interesting throughout. For people who appreciate piano music, this music is well structured and not clichéd, and for people who are looking for some soft instrumental music, this album is beautiful, moving and relaxing.
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