http://www.progarchives.com/album.asp?id=24261"> Studio Album, 2008
5.00 | 1 ratings

 

— First review of this album —

Bach, Shumann, Debussy, Bartòk and... Genesis... For Paolo Chiarandini are the same thing!

My countryman Paolo Chiarandini (from Tricesimo, Udine) is one of the best piano players of Italy and for his first album (in www.paolochiarandini.it is present only this album) creates a tribute to Genesis using the versions for solo piano of David Myers.

In the sleevenotes of this album he wrote that in 70's when he was a student of the Academy of music listened 'Firth Of Fifth' and found in this song Bach, Shumann, Debussy, Bartòk! So, for one of the best Italian piano players (who has played in several important piano feltival) it is logical transport us in this spell. And he succeeds perfectly.

The piano versions of David Myers are perfect transcriptions of Genesis songs that are not simple songs. In fact Genesis plays these songs with a great natural that they seem easy. In these piano versions Rock is present but the songs becomes extraordinary pieces of Symphonic Classic music. But because thse songs are pieces of Classic music.

Interesting is the fact that Paolo Chiarandini is more close to Rick Wakeman to a Classic piano player and this because if his background is in Classic Music Paolo Chiarandini have a great background also in Genesis, king Crimson, ELP, Banco Del Mutuo Soccorso, Premiata Forneria Marconi, etc... and in the fact that he lives the 70's as piano student and so he study also Prog Music.

These songs are magical, for me better than the original versions. It is clear that these songs are not comparable to 100% to the original versions but it is clear that where Genesis are champions of magic, emotions and feelings, these piano versions (not only because istrumentals) are more magical and emotionals.

I note that Paolo Chiarandini able to talk her piano, not dominating. Loving the dialogue that he creates with his piano transpire in clearly and makes us fall in love with this CD.

It is clear that the tribute albums are often sterile attempts to copy the songs and make them its own. With poor results. Here is the opposite. Paolo Chiarandini, because is a classical piano player, manages to create the pathos that every pianist of Classical Music should be created with the compositions: has not written the songs that he performs, he just needs to execute to create the magic that the author has never even managed to create. In this case... Overcoming Genesis themselves.

For who love Genesis this album is a great must. But also for who love RPI I think that find food for his teeth.