Futurpiano

Arthur Lourié's "Futurpiano," released on LTM Recordings in 2015, is a captivating journey through the avant-garde landscape of experimental piano music. This album, spanning a little over an hour, showcases Lourié's innovative compositions that blend classical training with modernist sensibilities. The tracklist is a testament to Lourié's versatility, featuring pieces inspired by visual artists like Picasso and Max Ernst, as well as standalone works that explore a range of emotions and mechanical themes.

The album opens with the "Synthesis, Op 16" suite, a series of five pieces that demonstrate Lourié's ability to create complex, layered soundscapes using the piano. Following this, "Formes En L'air (For Picasso)" and "Three Moods, For Piano" delve into more expressive territory, with titles like "Anger," "Grief," and "Joy" hinting at the emotional depth of these compositions.

The centerpiece of the album is the extensive "La Femme De 100 Tetes (After Max Ernst)" suite, consisting of 19 movements. Each piece offers a unique interpretation of the surrealist themes found in Ernst's work, with Lourié employing a variety of tempos and dynamics to create a rich, evolving soundscape. From the "Thoughtfully, Not Too Slow" of the first movement to the "Cruel, Quick" finale, this suite is a tour de force of Lourié's compositional prowess.

"Futurpiano" is not just a collection of pieces but a cohesive exploration of the piano's potential in the hands of a visionary composer. Lourié's work on this album is a must-experience for anyone interested in the boundaries of classical and avant-garde music.