The album's performer, Andrew von Oeyen, senses the boundaries between light and dark, hope and tragedy, and spirituality and sensuality becoming blurred when playing these works.
Composition History
Edward MacDowell's Rhapsodie from his First Modern Suite was inspired by Dante's Inferno, specifically the verse "Abandon all hope, ye who enter here."
Composer Biography
Franz Liszt, the composer of Mephisto Waltz No. 1, was accused of making a Faustian pact for his talent and fame, but later took minor orders in the Roman Catholic Church.
Album & Artwork
The album "Angels & Demons" explores the opposing themes of heaven and hell, spiritual and corporal, and saints and sinners, spanning three centuries of music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
J.S. Bach, the composer of the French Suite No. 5, often signed his manuscripts with "SDG" (Soli Deo Gloria - for God's glory alone), indicating his steadfast faith.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Olivier Messiaen, a devout Catholic composer, conveyed the message that love conquers all in his "Regard de l'Église d'amour" through textual indications and leitmotifs.
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