“Barnatan is palpably in his element, with a real clarity to his thinking and a whole range of colours and shadings from the most delicate pianissimos to stomping fortissimos.”
Time Traveler’s Suite from pianist Inon Barnatan has been selected as an Editor’s Choice by Gramophone Magazine. Review by Harriet Smith.
Barnatan’s third PENTATONE album redefines our notions of the suite by taking us on a journey through time and space, from Baroque pieces by Bach, Handel, Rameau, and Couperin to more recent works by Ravel, Barber, Adès, and Ligeti.
“Barnatan brings an unexpected gentleness to the Bach E minor Toccata that opens this suite, at least until the vigorous closing fugue. From Germany to England, and an Allemande full of poise and warmth from Handel’s E major Fifth Suite (how cunningly the pianist puts together his key structure). Then on to Paris, initially staying in the Baroque era for a wonderfully intimate Courante by Rameau – not an easy composer to translate to the piano, though Barnatan sounds very natural, his ornamentation just so…”
Gramophone talked to the pianist about his ideas behind juxtaposing music from across the centuries. Barnatan says he is fascinated with conversations that composers have with one another, “and decided to put together a suite in which each movement is by a different composer…”. He also discussed his connection with music and what the future holds.
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Photo by Marco Borggreve
