Junctions (2007)

Mexico's Urtext label has issued a series of recordings that, though often frustrating in some respects, are notable for their bold and appealing presentations of often unfamiliar contemporary repertoire. Junctions, by Mexican-born and Manhattan School of Music-trained Split Second Piano Ensemble, is among the label's best releases thus far. Split Second, despite its name, is merely a piano duo, consisting of Roberto Hidalgo and Marc Peloquin. The program, merging North American and Latin American influences, is thoroughly ... Read More

Mexico's Urtext label has issued a series of recordings that, though often frustrating in some respects, are notable for their bold and appealing presentations of often unfamiliar contemporary repertoire. Junctions, by Mexican-born and Manhattan School of Music-trained Split Second Piano Ensemble, is among the label's best releases thus far. Split Second, despite its name, is merely a piano duo, consisting of Roberto Hidalgo and Marc Peloquin. The program, merging North American and Latin American influences, is thoroughly crowd-pleasing but never lightweight. There isn't a real centerpiece, but perhaps the highlight is Frederic Rzewski's Winnsboro Cotton Mill Blues, originally written for a single piano but perhaps more effective in this two-piano version by the composer himself. The work is rooted in the blues idiom, but uses the technical, formal, and harmonic resources of concert music to amplify the content of the original form. The music opens with pounding of cycles of figuration that evoke the... Read Less