The album explores the palimpsestic nature of music, where past and present, composers and performers, continually interact, either by reworking existing material or allowing interpretive freedom.
Composer Biography
Michael Finnissy, whose "English country-tunes" are featured, started composing at age 4 and was self-taught until he gained a scholarship to the Royal College of Music.
Performer Biography
Rob Hao, the pianist and composer on this album, was born in Auckland, New Zealand, raised in Sydney, Australia, and studied at the Royal College of Music in London.
Album & Artwork
The album title, "Palimpsest," refers to a manuscript written over an earlier text, with traces of the original still visible, reflecting the layered nature of the music.
Performer Biography
Rob Hao has won first prize in both composition and piano disciplines in the Contemporary Music Competition at the Royal College of Music.
Composer's Artistic Vision
Michael Finnissy secretly planned for his future work to assemble a 'cabinet of curiosities,' an individualized account of world music representing all periods and genres.
Composer Biography
Alison Kay, whose Piano Etudes are on this album, is a professor of composition at the Royal College of Music.
You might also enjoy...
Encores
Horowitz: Complete Recordings on Deutsche Grammophon
39ème Festival International de Piano de La Roque d'Anthéron
Pages intimes
Piano Favourites, Vol. 1: Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Chopin & Mendelssohn (Live)
Vladimir Horowitz: Steinway Legends
Odyssee
Rarities of Piano Music 2002: Live Recordings from the Husum Festival
