Philip Glass: The Complete Piano Etudes
InFiné, 2025
10/10
Listen to Philip Glass: The Complete Piano Etudes
The inestimable French pianist, Vanessa Wagner, takes on a daring project here, where the 20 piano Études of Philip Glass are fleshed out with unparalleled attention to detail.
The first disc belongs to Etudes No. 1-10, where Wagner’s meticulous fingers interpret a body of work that Glass used to battle his own ‘technical shortcomings’. Wagner flows in and out of each chapter with seeming ease, where elegance and poeticism are present, as is sublime beauty.
Disc 2- the last 20 Etudes- sees Glass entering rhythmic and harmonic areas, as Wagner’s firm gestures and complicated patterns are immediately inviting and resonate much timelessness.
Wagner’s performance is absolutely stunning, and successfully bridges the musical legacies of the 20th and 21st centuries with this powerful, dynamic and profound body of work.
Travels well with: Kaito- Collection; Bruce Brubaker- Eno Piano 2