Peter Hill, piano October 16, 2011

Program:
Bach: Prelude and Fugue in E flat minor, from Well Tempered Clavier Book 1

Messiaen: La Colombe (from Préludes, 1929)

Le Merle bleu (from Catalogue d'oiseaux, 1956–58)

Takemitsu: Rain Tree Sketch II (In Memoriam Olivier Messiaen)

Messiaen: Cantéyodjayâ (1949)

Messiaen: L'Alouette lulu (from Catalogue d'oiseaux)

British pianist and musicologist Peter Hill is known for his performances and recordings of twentieth-century and contemporary music. His complete Messiaen cycle received superlative acclaim: described as ‘one of the most impressive solo recording projects of recent years’ (New York Times), it also received the endorsement of Messiaen, with whom Peter studied in Paris – 'Beautiful technique, a true poet: I am a passionate admirer of Peter Hill's playing.’ Critics have referred to the series as 'a classic of dedicated virtuosity' (The Times), 'incredible: Hill's strengths are virtuoso control and consummate rhythmic delineating...in Hill's hands I feel I am getting the composer at his purest and most intense' (Fanfare, USA), or 'remarkable for its accuracy, sense of atmosphere and sheer dynamism … some of the finest Messiaen playing ever to have gone down on disc' (The Sunday Telegraph).