Corner, Philip (b. April 10, 1933, New York City). American composer, now resident in Italy, of interdisciplinary works that have been performed throughout the world; he is also active as a performer, visual artist and writer
About his 40 years "collection" album
This man and his work represent the real "speculum musicae" of the past 40 years. The example of his music embodies a lifelong commitment to an integral radicalism. . . . this is a venerable tradition that Philip has written so eloquently about, and continued in his music. A tradition that stems from "Charlie" Ives through John Cage and Lou Harrison. All of these composers would ultimately admonish us to do one thing: to open our ears--and LISTEN! —Peter Garland
Perhaps the single most striking quality of Corner’s piano music, beyond the pleasure of the music, is the crystal clarity of the concepts. Corner moves purposefully from deep musical thought via these concepts to highly pianistic compositions with a broad range of affect, much as Bach moves from his deep music via contrapuntal forms to the unfolding of his keyboard works. There is love for the piano, and in recording the works, and, in relationship to it, the choice mastering techniques for each work. There he was joyful. —Charlie Morrow
When Philip plays the piano he always makes me imagine that music is a single great continuum, and that we always live in all of it. We may hear it a portion at a time, but we always live in all of it. I am moved by the ease with which he leads me from here to here to here, each different, always NOW, always familiar, always remembered, yet unexpected, like watching the change, return and passing of the seasons. In addition to making music, he shows me the reasons for making music. —Henry Martin