Riccardo MALIPIERO (1914–2003)
Complete Music for Solo Piano
14 Variazioni di un tema musicale (1938) [8:19]
Piccola musica (1941) [4:35]
Invenzioni per pianoforte (1949) [11:57]
Costellazioni (1965) [14:34]
Le rondini di Alessandro: sette pezzi facili per pianoforte (1971) [4:47]
Diario Secondo (1985) [11:32]
José Raúl López (piano)
rec. 3-5, 11 Aug 2001, 1 Aug 2010, 11 Aug 2011, Concert Hall of the Nicole and Herbert Wertheim Performing Arts Center, Florida International University, Miami.
TOCCATA TOCC0129 [55:44]
We know Gian Francesco Malipiero from the symphonies (Volume
1 ~
Volume 3 ~
Volume 4 ~
Volume 5) and the string quartets (review
~ review)
but who knows of his composer nephew Riccardo Malipiero? I didn’t. It
turns out he was an early convert to the twelve-tone system. Having pursued
piano studies at the Milan Conservatory he then went on to the Turin Conservatory.
There were also composition studies with his uncle Gian Francesco. After working
as a lecturer in Monza (1935-1947) he taught at the Varese Conservatory.
The present six works, tracing this Milanese composer's piano music
from 1938 to 1989, are made up of short, separately-tracked musical episodes
– the perfect answer to a challenged attention span. There are 49 tracks
so Toccata’s attention to detail is nothing short of lavish. In addition
the pianist’s essay on the composer and his solo piano music encompasses
nine closely packed but perfectly eye-friendly pages. The booklet is in English
only. The works recorded here make up Malipiero's published corpus
for piano solo. They here receive their recording premieres.
The 14 Variazioni di un tema musicale are already fully formed in
dodecaphonic terms and angular style. Costellazioni finds this composer
at close to the peak of the avant-garde’s popularity. We hear awkward
figures rumble, ripple and skitter, deep bass chords resound. The hypnotic
writing evokes thoughts of distant galaxies. The work ends in a stutter that
gutters and then finally peters out. He is the master of Stravinskian scurrying
figuration; cool, cold with flourishing rhythmic thunder and grunt.
This is tough music presented with factual and technical diligence as well
as artistic qualities. Credit to the pianist for carrying through this distinctive
project from concept to execution. There's no want of valour in choosing
this music to champion.
Rob Barnett
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