Award-winning Pianist Mackenzie Melemed announces a special project of newly commissioned works and a debut recording. He writes: “Through the years, three works from Bach, Brahms, and Liszt have left an indelible mark on my musical identity. Over the same stretch of time, I was serendipitously launched into the creative orbits of composers Avner Dorman, Laura Kaminsky, and Sir Stephen Hough, all of whom possess inspiring, compelling artistic voices. From each of these contemporary masters I have commissioned a composition, taking as a point of departure the sonic essence of one of my chosen works from the standard repertoire. I am deeply honored to introduce these modern offerings to our musical continuum. I’ve signed a contract with the label Bright Shiny Things for my debut solo album — with the working title “Continuum.”
Below is the full program:
Bach: Prelude and Fugue in B-Flat Minor BWV 867 (WTC Book I)
Sir Stephen Hough: Prelude and Fugue (Aeolian)
Liszt: Funérailes (October, 1849)
Laura Kaminsky: Threnody (October, 2024)
Brahms: Variations on a Theme of R. Schumann Op.9
Avner Dorman: Lament and Variations