Just received a great new review of JOURNEY TO SERENITY from Spanish Sonograma: sonograma.org/suplement-de-discos/journey-to-serenity
Here is the English translation regarding track 6:
"Minuti Piano Concerto, by Hans Bakker, is a representative sample of the composer's aesthetics, in which careful lyrical writing and a marked spiritual depth are combined." Here the complete translation if you like: "Talking about the relationships between serenity and music, especially between piano and orchestra, is to enter deeply emotional and aesthetic territory, where the art of sound becomes a path to inner balance. We have excellent examples of moments of great serenity within symphonies by Mahler or Vaughan Williams.
Journey to Serenity, published by Navona Records, is a collection of music by nine current composers with works that have as their axis the path to tranquility, as the title of the album reflects.
From serene reflections on loss to bold affirmations of one's own identity, the music fuses tradition with contemporary sensibilities, inviting the listener to explore landscapes both emotional and spiritual. With evocative themes, richly colored orchestration, and deeply intimate solo writing, this collection features moments of contemplative stillness, passages of intense expressiveness, and sonic dialogues that transcend time.
In this collection, Anna Kislitsyna becomes a common thread: through her performance, she brings to life both piano textures of apparent simplicity and dense passages rich in emotional tension. Her mastery of phrasing, her ability to create atmospheres, and her dialogue with the orchestration make her an indispensable voice of contemporary piano.
Composer Anthony Wilson conveys his delicacy in The Tantalus Ordeal , in which he describes the struggle to achieve a perfect and elusive form of expression that never fully materializes.
Peter Dickson Lopez, on the other hand, composes Pieces of Love and Remembrance (POLAR): Seeking Serenity, a work in which musical themes arise that evoke deep feelings after the loss of his wife.Where Rainbows Wait for Rain - The Big Bend Country is from composer Richard E. Brown. Brown wrote this symphonic poem for piano and orchestra to evoke the Big Bend region of British Columbia. It draws on themes and motifs from a chamber ensemble score he composed and conducted in 1983 to accompany a reading of Sandra Lynn's book of poetry about the area, which also provides the title for this new composition.
It follows our admired composer Nan Avant's piece, Sirens of the Salish Sea . Her deep connection to the sea—both as a physical space and a metaphor for movement and emotion—along with a creative energy that flows naturally has led her to compose a work that is born from a living and symbolic relationship with the aquatic environment. This piece, with a brilliant pianistic interpretation, is the expression of what the sea represents emotionally: freedom, depth, constant change and a beauty that can be as serene as it is abysmal.
Minuti Piano Concerto, by Hans Bakker, is a representative sample of the composer's aesthetics, in which careful lyrical writing and a marked spiritual depth are combined.In Passing on Ancient Skills for Piano and Orchestra, John A. Carollo articulates a dialogue between musical techniques of historical tradition and contemporary compositional procedures, with the aim of expressing experiences of intense emotional and spiritual content.
The last work on the album, Inner Light, by Diane Jones, is presented as an introspective composition, with a markedly meditative character and a subtle and refined emotional elaboration."