Bach / Ligeti / Armstrong

Description

"Here is a pianist of exceptional stature, destined to frequent the highest peaks of his art" - Alfred Brendel. Here is the first record of an artist we are going to talk about. Born in 1992 in California (USA), of Taiwanese origin, he grew up in the United States, Great Britain, and France. A young prodigy, he studied from the age of 13 with Alfred Brendel and was still in contact with him recently in London, while pursuing scientific studies in pure mathematics in Paris (Pierre-and-Marie-Curie University). He is now establishing himself as both a pianist and a composer. He is already familiar with prestigious major stages such as the Musikverein in Vienna, the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam, the Beaux Arts in Brussels, and performs under the direction of the greatest conductors like Christoph von Dohnányi and Riccardo Chailly. The program of his record is interesting and unique. He offers his own transcription of Bach's Preludes and Chorals originally written for organ, and the Partita in B major BWV 825. He adds a fantasy of his own on the notes B. A. C. H (in German si b la do si), as many composers have done in homage to JS Bach. In contrast, he concludes his program with 5 pieces by the Hungarian composer Ligeti, who died in 2006, from the now-famous collection titled Musica Ricercata, which reflects a writing approach similar to that of Bach for his own music. Kit Armstrong is already unanimously recognized in Great Britain and Germany as an artist of remarkable maturity and superior intelligence destined for an exceptional career. Here, the monthly Diapason recently praised an extraordinary musician far from the expressive and emotional dryness that his intellectual profile might suggest.