Greetings Reference Recordings Followers!
Let’s explore some information about Joel Fan’s newest album West of the Sun: Music of the Americas and tomorrow we will see what people are saying about it.
Joel Fan’s second recital for RR further solidifies his reputation for innovative programming and
dazzling keyboard technique. Drawing on composers from North and South America, native
New-Yorker Fan makes brilliant work of major sonatas by Ginastera and Barber, along with
“entertainments” by Gottschalk, Piazzolla, and Villa-Lobos. Of particular interest are two littleknown
but audience-friendly works by Amy Beach and the African-American composer Margaret
Bonds. Another highlight is the premiere recording of Nine New Bagatelles by William Bolcom,
which Fan coached with the composer. All piano enthusiasts will find much to enjoy in this wideranging
recital, recorded at Skywalker Sound in California by RR’s renowned technical guru,
“Prof.” Keith O. Johnson. World Keys, Joel Fan’s debut CD, hit the Billboard chart at #3, so
expect great things from this new release!
On the album are the following tracks:
1 NAZARETH: Vem cá, Branquinha 2:46
2 GOTTSCHALK: Suis Moi! Caprice 3:03
3 PIAZZOLLA: Flora’s Game – Milonga Prelude 6:46
4-7 GINASTERA: Piano Sonata #1 13:38
- 4 Allegro marcato 4:06
- 5 Presto Misterioso 2:24
- 6 Adagio molto appassionato 4:20
- 7 Ruvido ed ostinato 2:46.
8 VILLA-LOBOS: Chôros No. 5, “Alma Brasileira” 4:31
9 BEACH: Fire-flies, Op. 15 #4 3:04
10 BONDS: Troubled Water 5:21
11-19 BOLCOM: Nine New Bagatelles 9:23
- 11 (“…and then what happened?”) 1:25
- 12 (…what happened) 0:43
- 13 (…a bird comments–to another bird?) 0:55
- 14 (…Lord Lovell’s trunk) 0:43
- 15 (…a little story) 0:45
- 16 (…take no prisoners) 0:21
- 17 (…valse oubliable) 1:10
- 18 (…benediction) 0:34
- 19 (…pavane for the dead/hope’s feathers) 2:41
20-23 BARBER: Piano Sonata, Op. 26 18:31
- 20 Allegro energico 6:40
- 21 Allegro vivace e leggero 2:01
- 22 Adagio mesto 5:14
- 23 Allegro con spirito 4:33
More on Joel Fan tomorrow