Nakata, Asagi
Roberto Russo: Piano Music
The piano compositions featured in this album were written between 1990 and 2023 and offer a glimpse into the compositional style of Roberto Russo. His style is profoundly influenced by the Roman School, as epitomized by Domenico Bartolucci-composer, perpetual director of the Sistine Chapel Choir, and member of the Accademia di Santa Cecilia-of whom Roberto was one of the last students. It also draws inspiration from certain iconic figures of 20th-century music, foremost among them the Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich. The opening tracks of the album, the most recent compositions, exhibit a notable boldness in both form and harmony. These pieces stand apart from most of the 12 Preludes-written between 1990 and 2000-through a freer conceptual approach, albeit one rooted in pronounced structural rigor. This rigour is counterbalanced by a remarkable expressiveness and a deeply evocative musical breadth.