Dutch Pianist & Composer

Glass, Complete Piano Etudes

bc-95563_glass-frontcover

Composer: P{hilip Glass
Title: Complete Piano Etudes
Performer: Jeroen van Veen



Tracklist

Etudes for Piano Book I
1
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 1 in G Minor 6:29
2
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 2 in A Minor 7:26
3
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 3 in A Major 4:46
4
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 4 in D Minor 4:23
5
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 5 in F Minor 9:49
6
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 6 in F Minor 5:49
7
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 7 in A Minor 14:40
8
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 8 in C Major 7:03
9
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 9 in F Minor 3:52
10
Etudes for Piano, Book I: No. 10 in E-Flat Major 8:37

11
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 11 in C Minor 8:29
12
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 12 in D Minor 7:44
13
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 13 in F Major 4:57
14
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 14 in A-Flat Major 6:16
15
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 15 in D Major 7:46
16
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 16 in G Minor 5:43
17
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 17 in F Minor 8:42
18
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 18 in G Minor 4:28
19
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 19 in C Major 5:50
20
Etudes for Piano, Book II: No. 20 in C Major 10:03

Along with the two books of piano studies by Gyorgy Ligeti, the Etudes of Philip Glass have taken their place as modern classics of the literature, serving both a didactic purpose to train the fingers and minds of their performers, but also bringing their unique soundworlds to new audiences. Glass himself remarked that the first book, compiled from work between 1991 and 2012, had a twin objective, to explore a variety of tempi, textures and piano techniques. At the same time it was meant to serve as a pedagogical tool by which I would improve my piano playing. The studies of Book 2 (2012-14) are often bolder in finding new structures and fresh keyboard colours. Each of the 20 Etudes handles a specific piano technique, and the two books are united by the instantly recognisable quirks of Glass s harmonic language and, as Jeroen van Veen remarks in his booklet note, in almost all the etudes, endurance is the main issue to overcome . Most recent of the pianist s many Brilliant Classics recordings of Minimalist music have been albums dedicated to the genre s godfather, Erik Satie (BC95350) and his successors including Michael Nyman (BC95112) and Max Richter (BC95390). Van Veen s beautiful and texturally varied sonority, his long-lined sensibility, and his intense focus draw you in, remarked Classics Today of the complete Satie box. Sample the Nocturnes sustained, almost otherworldly serenity, or the subtle spacing of notes throughout the Veritables preludes flaques, and you ll hear how completely and masterfully van Veen conveys his intentions, abetted by superb, full-bodied sonics... His fascinating and riveting pianism is well worth Brilliant Classics attractive budget price.


Jeroen van Veen

Jeroen Van Veen (1969) started playing the piano at the age of 7. He studied at the Utrecht Conservatory with Alwin Bär and Håkon Austbö. In 1993 he passed the Performing Artists' Exam. Van Veen has played with orchestras conducted by Howard Williams (Adams), Peter Eötvös (Zimmermann), Neal Stulberg (Mozart & Bartok) and Robert Craft (Stravinsky). He has played recitals in Europe, Russia, Canada & the USA. Van Veen attended master classes with Claude Helffer, Roberto Szidon, Ivan Klánsky and Leonid Hambro. He was invited to several festivals; Reder Piano Festival (1988), Festival der Kunsten in Bad Gleichenberg (1992), Wien Modern (1993), Holland Dance Festival (1998, 2010) Lek Art Festival (1996-2007). Van Veen recorded for major Dutch Radio- and Television companies like AVRO, NOS, IKON, NCRV, TROS/Internet, WTBC-TV & Radio (Florida, U.S.A.) and Moscow Television. In 1992, Van Veen recorded his first CD as Piano duo Van Veen. In 1995 Piano duo Van Veen made their debut in the United States. They were prizewinners in the prestigious 4th International Murray Dranoff Two Piano Competition in Miami, Florida. After this achievement they toured the United States and Canada many times. The documentary "Two Pianos One Passion" (nominated with an Emmy Award 1996) portrays them as a duo.
The various compositions by Van Veen may be described as Minimal Music with different faces, Crossovers to Jazz, Blues, Soundscape, Avant-Garde, Techno, Trance and Pop Music. His Minimal Preludes for piano, and his NLXL are some of his most played pieces worldwide. His latest Minimal Piano Concerto Continuum was a great success. In 2015 he premiered his Incanto nr 2 in the Amsterdam Concertgebouw with Sandra van Veen.
Currently Mr. Van Veen is director of Van Veen Productions, Chairman of the Simeon ten Holt Foundation, Pianomania Foundation and artistic director of several music festivals. He is also active as Overseas Artistic Director in the Murray Dranoff Two Piano Competition based in Miami. Over the last 25 years Van Veen recorded more than 150 CD’s and 5 DVD’s, mostly for Brilliant Classics. His discography includes: Adams, Einaudi, Glass, JacobTV, Minimal Piano Collections, Nyman, Pärt, Reich, Riley, Stravinsky, Tiersen, Ten Holt, Van Veen, Yiruma and many others. Van Veen is also praised for his productivity some say; ‘the man who records faster than his shadow’.

“Dutch pianist and composer, Jeroen van Veen, the leading exponent of minimalism today”, Alan Swanson (Fanfare)
"Jeroen van Veen has for many years been a powerhouse in the piano world of the Netherlands and beyond", Dominy Clements ( Musicweb-International)
"The Maximal Minimalist Missionary", Raymond Tuttle (Fanfare)

www.jeroenvanveen.com