John Pitts, Steven Kings - 7 Airs & Fantasias And Other Piano Music

Published Thursday 25th June 2009
John Pitts, Steven Kings - 7 Airs & Fantasias And Other Piano Music
John Pitts, Steven Kings - 7 Airs & Fantasias And Other Piano Music

STYLE: Classical
RATING 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9
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.

The opinions expressed in this article are not necessarily those held by Cross Rhythms. Any expressed views were accurate at the time of publishing but may or may not reflect the views of the individuals concerned at a later date.

Interested in reviewing music? Find out more here.

Be the first to comment on this article

We welcome your opinions but libellous and abusive comments are not allowed.












We are committed to protecting your privacy. By clicking 'Send comment' you consent to Cross Rhythms storing and processing your personal data. For more information about how we care for your data please see our privacy policy.