ROBERTS Book of Flowers
Conrad Tao, Piano
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Roberts: Book of Flowers, Conrad Tao (CD)
Roberts: Book of Flowers, Conrad Tao (CD)
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Pianist Conrad Tao performs Adam Roberts’ Book of Flowers, a large-scale collection of 16 character pieces that explores the expressive possibilities of the piano through constantly shifting moods, textures and techniques. Inspired by the tradition of concentrated piano miniatures associated with composers including Chopin, Schumann, Debussy and George Crumb, Roberts builds a work of substantial scope from a succession of short, sharply defined musical ideas.
The individual movements range from the rhythmic energy of “Hard Fall” and “Uprising” to the sonorous stillness of “11 Bells for Jon,” the tightly wound intensity of “Brutality” and the expansive closing movement, “Final Declamation.” Across the cycle, Tao moves between fragile gestures, resonant harmonies, driving rhythmic patterns and highly virtuosic writing, revealing the connections that bind the contrasting pieces into a larger whole.
Released by New Focus Recordings in 2025, Book of Flowers showcases Roberts’ interest in fleeting musical states and Tao’s remarkable range as an interpreter of contemporary piano music.
Discs: 1
Record Label: New Focus
Release Date: November 21, 2025
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