Saygun: Sketch On Aksak Rhythm
El-Dabh: Sayera
Sculthorpe: Nocturnal
Prokofiev: Sonata #3, Op. 28
Chen: Instants D’un Opera De Pekin
World Keys
Joel’s First Solo album debuted at #3 on Billboard’s Classical Chart
The album features five world premiere recordings, ten composers from ten different countries including Peteris Vasks, Dia Succari, Qigang Chen, Adnan Saygun, as well as Prokofiev, Liszt, and Schumann.
“Fan’s debut album on Reference, is a survey of musical approaches from Europe, Asia, Australia, and the United States, reflecting Fan’s personal interest in music of many countries, evidently fueled by his touring around the world… it is an entertaining presentation that invites thoughts about music’s underlying relationships and shows this pianist as an expressive and intelligent artist, as well as a sophisticated citizen of the world. Reference’s sound is clean and transparent, with a resonant luster that is highly effective in the quiet pieces.” —Blair Sanderson, All Music Guide (full review)
“You go from one encounter to another, dazzled by this musician, whose sensitivity allows him to give to each piece the color of the country that inspires him… The production of this HDCD recording is superb.” —Reine Lessard, Ultra High Fidelity
“Fan plays it all authoritatively with sensitivity to the unique flavor of each work. He leaves the listener hankering for more of everything…There’s excellent percussive attack without claustrophobia and a wonderful sense of the body of the instrument.” —Andrew Quint, The Absolute Sound
“Unexpected, variety and immediately appealing are probably the best words to describe why I find the selections so enjoyable…As would be expected from the well-known team of Keith Johnson and Tam Henderson the audio quality is supremely enjoyable.” —Karl Lozier, Positive Feedback
“He has selected works of great musical interest, and switches from one style to another quite contrasting one with the greatest aplomb. His playing of the 18-minute Schumann Sonata is right up there with the classic keyboardists.” —John Sunier, Audiophile Audition (full review)
“Fan plays beautifully, turning all the spice and pizzazz into pure pleasure. He is especially good, though, in bringing out the swagger in Franz Liszt’s Rigoletto Paraphrase. Fan also brings real joy to Prokofiev’s third sonata.” —Richard Nilsen, Arizona Republic
World Keys Track Listing:
A. Adnan Saygun: Sketch on Aksak Rhythm; Prokofiev: Sonata #3; Dia Succari: La Nuit du Destin; Halim El-Dabh: Sayera; Qigang Chen: Instants d’un opera de Pekin; Liszt: Concert Paraphrase of Verdi’s “Rigoletto”; William Bolcom: . . . la belle rouquine; Peter Sculthorpe: Nocturnal; Schumann: Sonata #2 in G Minor; Peteris Vasks: Kantate