George Walker

Five Piano Sonatas

Bridge, 2022

8/10

Listen to Five Piano Sonatas

The exceptional pianist Steven Beck pays homage to George Walker with 5 very accomplished interpretations of Walker’s diverse and timeless compositions.

“Piano Sonata No. 1” opens the listen with extremely agile playing as Beck’s finger acrobatics impress us with his dizzying execution and strong attention to detail, and “Piano Sonata No. 2” follows with a calmer approach of complicated progressions that have the ability to rumble low, and also dance with a frisky, upbeat quality.

Halfway through, “Piano Sonata No. 3” flows in and out of tense yet melodic waters as space is manipulated precisely, while “Piano Sonata No. 4” gets a bit dreamy in its restrained and adventurous landscape. “Piano Sonata No. 5” exits the listen, and is a lush, mesmerizing album highlight.

Walker was actually the first African-American to win the Pulitzer Prize, and his vast body of work showcased his ability to draw from a wide pool of influences, and that spirit certainly lives on in Beck’s incredible performance.

Travels well with: Hyejin Kim- Miroirs; Monika Gurak- Scenes From A Life