Sonatas & Interludes
Neuma, 2023
8/10
Listen to Sonatas And Interludes
The inimitable pianist John Cage experimented with foreign objects between the strings of his Steinway to alter the tone, and that creativity is certainly present on his magnus opus, “Sonatas & Interludes”, which is interpreted by Agnese Toniutti here.
“Sonata I” starts the listen with the distinct mood from the keys that is both mysterious and specific to Cage, sometimes firm and other times soft, and “Sonata II” follows with an upbeat and playful nature that’s even a bit dreamy in scope.
Further along, “Sonata VII” follows very unpredictable patterns, and radiates a presence that seems percussive, while “Sonata X” flows with a cinematic, almost sci-fi delivery of highly iconoclastic piano playing.
Close to the end, “Sonata XIII” carries an abstract and subtly experimental demeanor, and “Sonata XVI” exits the listen with meticulous manipulation of space and tension in the curious, exciting finish.
Toniutti brings her strong attention to timbral ideas for this project, and does a great job capturing the innovative and exploratory mind of Cage with this excellent take on his finest work.
Travels well with: William Duckworth- The Time Curve Preludes; Galan Trio- Kinesis