Jürg Frey/Reinier van Houdt — Composer, Alone

Composer, Alone is a three-CD set bringing together solo piano pieces by Swiss modern classical composer Jürg Frey. The largely stark/ sparsely toned works move between pattern-based, haunting tolling/ drifting, and more darting/ abstract. All twelve pieces featured here are played with great clarity, focus and depth by Dutch pianist Reinier van Houdt.

The release appears on the US label Elsewhere Music. The three CDs come presented sparse six-panel gatefold, which features some of Mr Frey’s pattern-based/ smaller-sized illustrations in green, orange, and blue colourings. The CDs themselves keep with this colour scheme, with each featuring a single colour. It’s a very pared-back, lightly arty-looking presentation, which perfectly fits the music found on the three CDs.

The first CD features seven compositions- these date from between the early 1990s to last year, with runtimes between two and twenty-five minutes.  These move between “Miniature In Five Parts” which is all about slowly climbing/descending key structures- at points, there is some slight dart/ shift present, at others, moody melodic touches. Onto the slow mid-range tolling meet steady forlorn strikes of “In Memoriam Of Cornellius Cardew”. Though to sparse/ spaced, darting to bonding structure of “ Klavierstück Arrangement II “.

Disc two features a single hour and twelve-minute piece entitled “ Pianist, Alone(1)”- this was composed/ constructed over a six-year period between the end of the 90’s and early 2000’s. The piece is built around a series of stark patterns, which each weave out for minutes on end, then they’ll suddenly shift-  often moving pace/ tone. The piece is lulling/ moody, yet at the same time unpredictable, which is an interesting contrast. I found this track most captivating one evening when I was steadily preparing/ cooking supper.

The third/ final disc takes in four pieces- these date from between the early 90’s and last year. With runtimes between eleven and twenty-two minutes. These move between “ Klavierstück 2 “ which starts off revolving about key boundings- be they rapid, or sparse/ spaced- sometimes with different levels of reverb control. Moving to locked-down/repetitive tolling. Onto “Composer, alone (2)” which alternates from low-end brooding climbs and more plaintive mid-range harmonic-edged playing.

If you have a penchant for stark/ sparse/ largely pattern-based piano music, then Composer, Alone will most certainly appeal. It’s music for both contemplation and focus.