Aki Takahashi, piano
Piano Piece 1955
Two Intermissions
Illusions
(1948)
first recording
Extensions 3
Piano Piece
(to Philip Guston)
Palais de Mari
Aki Takahashi is a critically acclaimed virtuoso pianist playing a full spectrum of 20th century music. Aki has premieredmany works by important composers as well as compositions written specifically for her. A prolific catalog of herrecordings exists abroad including a couple of outstanding Feldman discs. Until now, her recordings have not been widelyavailable here with the exception of her historic Piano Space set and other recitals on CP2, works of PeterGarland on New Albion and, of course, Feldman’s Piano and String Quartet with the Kronos Quartet.
Morton Feldman’s sound-world no longer needs an introduction. Feldman was especially fond of Aki’s playing, so muchso that he had selected certain works particularly for her. Together they toured this program, with Feldman speakingabout the compositions and Aki performing them.
The CD contains selections from those recitals as well as works close to Aki’s heart, many receiving their firstrecording or available on CD for the first time. Of particular note is the premiere recording of Feldman’s earliestpublished composition–ILLUSIONS–which is unique in his œuvre: it is mostly loud and fast! The CD’s release celebrates Aki’s debut Lincoln Center recital in an all Feldman concert August of 1996.
In addition to this being the inaugural release in Mode’s new Feldman Edition, it is also the beginning of aseries featuring the tremendous talent of Aki Takahashi. Future releases will find her performing works by Iannis Xenakisand Luciano Berio, as well as recitals of ensemble music by Paul Bowles and Peter Garland with Essential Music.