LIVE AT THE BIRD'S EYE

Enrico Pieranunzi

Autour de Martinu

Featured Artists

Enrico Pieranunzi piano solo

Recorded
Nov 17, 2013, Basel
On the occasion of the Martinu Festtage 2013

Release date
2014, TCB Music

Album Tracks

1. B. Martinu, Polka in A
E. Pieranunzi, Polka reflections, 3:49
2. B. Martinu, Esquisse de danse II, 3:07
3. E. Pieranunzi, Improesquisse II, 4:00
4. E. Pieranunzi, Improritour IV
B. Martinu, Ritournelle IV, 3:20
5. B. Martinu, Esquisse de danse I, 1:58
6. E. Pieranunzi, Improesquisse I, 1:56
7. D. Scarlatti, Sonata K 492
E. Pieranunzi, Vision K 492, 4:40
8. B. Martinu, Intermezzo No. l
(from "Les Ritournelles")
E. Pieranunzi, Impromezzo No.1, 5:46
9. G.F. Haendel, Sarabande in E minor HWV 438
E. Pieranunzi, An angle on Haendel, 5:15
10. B. Martinu, Ritournelle II
E. Pieranunzi, Improritour II, 4:22
11. D. Scarlatti, Sonata K 9
E. Pieranunzi, Vision K 9, 5:48
12. E. Pieranunzi, Mein lieber Schumann, 4:43
13. B. Martinu, Prélude en forme de blues, 4:10
14. E. Pieranunzi, Blues for Martinu, 3:06
15. E. Pieranunzi, Horizontes Finales, 5:27

Total time incl. applause: 61:39

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AMAZON

My first contact with Martinu's music happened through the 7 Etudes rhythmiques for violin and piano. I was struck by the amazing "improvisational spirit" coming from that music.
I use here the expression "improvisational spirit" in its most positive meaning exactly because, mainly in the classical music environment, improvisation is stili underrated and considered of much less value than composing. Martinu's music clearly shows that the two processes are of the same importance, that they are closely linked and even that the first one is necessary to the second. You can find proof of all this in the seven Martinu pieces selected in this CD. In my opinion, in fact, all of them have originated from improvisational inputs that the composer later developed and widened with a high amount of compositional skill. lt is very probable by the way that it was this brilliant attitude towards improvising and cleverly using the ideas coming from improvisation that made Martinu become very much interested in jazz and blues. In fact, during the Twenties of the last century these musical forms were the favourites among the most open-minded European composers.
Actually the best way to summarize the 'sound itinerary' in this CD could be the expression "from improvisation to composition... and back". Whereas Martinu's pieces reach their compositional status after an improvisational start (the Scarlatti and Haendel pieces included in the CD very likely had their beginning in the same way) I go the opposite direction, that is first performing the pieces as written and then freely using the motivic 'materials' in them for my improvisational purposes.
An exception to this approach is track 12, where I improvise around a tender melody by Schumann (it is part of the Davidsbündlertänze Op.6). In this case in fact I had previously changed and reset tempo and harmony of the theme to convert it into a good improvisational vehicle.

Enrico Pieranunzi
August 7, 2014