Her First Dance

MISHA ALPERIN: Her First Dance
ECM, 2008

Wow... This is beautiful, often tragic music from the jazz/classical borderlands: for piano, solo or in tandem with French horn, flugelhorn and/or cello. Alperin has masterful control of dynamics and space, creating little sound paintings that are open, sober, delicate, and enchanting. Accessible but deep, reminds me of Erik Satie or Debussy.

All marvelous. Fo's Picks: 1, 2, 5, 7, 9

1. 6:12 – solo piano: haunting, Asian-flavored theme alternates with rapid spirals; second half is a slow, melancholy meditation
2. 5:16 – pretty piano/horn duet, combines strands of sunshine and loneliness
3. 3:23 – slow piano/cello, classical melody w/Russian touch, pensive & sad
4. 2:39 – slow solo piano, incredibly fragile, very quiet
5. 3:24 – children at play: quick, teasing piano melody, turns serious at end
6. 6:00 – trio moves in very slow, measured steps; piano describes vast space
7. 4:28 – serious solo piano, haunting unresolved melody floats gently
8. 5:25 – soft piano/cello, like anguished waiting
9. 4:31 – no piano: lonely horn on a mountaintop; cello drones, sighs, swirls
10. 7:21 – stark, shell-shocked solo piano, turns meandering, then resolute

[ Fo ] 29-Sep-08