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Stylianou - Metavasis: 12 Piano Preludes, Book I

£11.38

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Label: Odradek Records

Cat No: ODRCD438

Barcode: 0810042704381

Format: CD

Number of Discs: 1

Genre: Instrumental

Release Date: 27th January 2023

Works

Stylianou, Constantinos Y

Preludes (12) for piano, Book 1

Artists

Nicolas Constantinou (piano)

Works

Stylianou, Constantinos Y

Preludes (12) for piano, Book 1

Artists

Nicolas Constantinou (piano)

About

In an album of world-première recordings, Steinway Artist Nicolas Costantinou performs 12 Préludes for solo piano by Constantinos Y. Stylianou, each inspired by a different work of art.

In 2008, as part of a series of events to mark the French Presidency of the EU, Stylianou was asked to compose a piece of music for solo piano to be performed at the Great Hall of the UNESCO Headquarters in Paris.

This resulted in two préludes, each one inspired by a work of art (painting or sculpture); the choice of form was also influenced by Debussy's two Books of Préludes. Following those two initial piano works, Stylianou decided to continue composing préludes until a cycle of 12 was completed. The last prélude was composed in 2014, with final revisions made in 2018.

From the set's starting point of a prehistoric sculpture of a winged goddess, Stylianou embraces a wide range of art: Mondrian's Composition with Blue and Yellow (1932); Cézanne's L'Etang des soeurs (1875); Turner's Snow Storm - Steam-Boat off a Harbour's Mouth (1842); Campin's The Weeping Angel from the Seilern Triptych (c.1410/15); Die Lebensstufen (1835) by Caspar David Friedrich; L'Homme qui marche (1947) by Alberto Giacometti; Matisse's La Leçon de piano (1916); Klimt's The Kiss (1907/08); Kandinsky's Le Rond rouge (1939); O kosmos tis K'prou (1967/72) by Adamantios Diamantis; and finally The Dance (1988) by Paula Rego.

The result is a vivid, colourful and inspired series of préludes, each one distinguished not only by a unique tonal and stylistic character, but also by the personal approach to the instrument that is so characteristic of this composer's style.