Naida Cole, it has been mentioned, is fast becoming the cover girl for classical music. Although she is definitely a beautiful woman, her talents extend far deeper then her outward appearance. Not only has she been celebrated by many prestigious publications and awards, but she possesses a fiery passion for the works she performs. This reputation absolutely hold true for the works that were performed and recorded for this particular album as you will soon be able to tell.

The album consists of works by several famous composers from the relatively recent past. Interesting, the title of the recording, Reflections seems to tell it all. The idea behind the recording, it seems, is to show just how much of a part each of the composer’s works were influenced by the other, until finally it reflects back to the person who began the chain reaction so to speak.

Well, enough of this somewhat vague introduction. The first work is by Maurice Ravel. The work, "Miroirs", is indicative of his style of composition. Interestingly though it is perhaps not as apparent as it might seem to the naked ear, much of the underlying style was influenced by Franz Liszt. However, if one sits and really gives the composition the time and energy it readily deserves, they will likely find themselves agreeing with this statement.

The second work contained on the album is by Bela Bartok. His work entitled "Improvisations on Hungarian Peasant Songs" is an interesting piece. The work is somewhat of the opposite of a regression. Each improvisation becomes more and more grandiose and complex until at last the final, or eighth, improvisation seems to have a life and power of its own. If one listens to each piece independently and then together, they will begin to understand just how much Bartok was influenced by Ravel, a fact that he admitted during his lifetime. So in a way, the second work can look to a certain extent at its humble reflection, and influences of the first.

The third work it might not be difficult to figure out is by Franz Liszt. If Ravel took some of his creative cues from Liszt then in a way so did Bartok. So with Bartok sandwiched firmly in the middle, Liszt’s work, "Sonata in B minor", concludes the album. It might be noted that while his work, "Sonata in B minor" is considered by many to be an important work of the period, Liszt’s reputation as an influencing force has been questioned. While listening to the recording, do your own reflections and make your own decisions, I know I did.

If you perhaps wonder why I mentioned Naida Cole in the beginning it is because without her talent as a pianist and a person, none of the reflections that this recording asks you to make would be possible. It takes passion and grace, coupled with beauty and artistry to make all these things come together as well as they did. I am getting ahead of myself; I haven’t even reviewed the work yet.

As I mentioned in the introduction to this review, the recording begins with Maurice Ravel’s "Miroirs". While I hadn’t heard the work in quite some time, I found myself wondering why. The truth is it is beautiful work and extremely complex. The skill Naida Cole possesses wasn’t lost on me at all. In fact, I am somewhat in awe of the way she brought this piece to life, from its simplest to its most complex elements. That coupled with the skill used in the actual recording made it worth the price of the disc on its own.

However, luckily that wasn’t the only work on the recording; the second work by Bartok was equally well done. As with the work from Ravel, the easiest movements to the most complex were handled with grace and elegance. Naida Cole’s skill as a pianist is definitely recognizable by her ability to make the hardest and most complex movements seem as simple and understandable as the easiest of them. In fact, through her abilities it was fairly easy for me to spot the similarities and inspirations that Bartok took from Ravel and thus from Liszt.

The third work, "Sonata in B minor", by Liszt I happen to adore. Although I have never really sat and thought about it, it is incredible how much of an influence he did have on these other composers. Again the skill in recording and the artistry that Naida Cole used in playing this piece made all the parts of the puzzle fit together.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, I thoroughly enjoyed this album. I haven’t experienced such a synergy of album title, mastery of piano and selection of works in quite a while. If you haven’t had the chance to go out and hear the album for itself, you should, I wouldn’t imagine you would be disappointed.

Search Tour Database by: Artist City Venue

Naida Cole
reflections

Released: February 11, 2003
Origination Year: 2003
Time: 69:32
Tracks: 16
Produced by: David Frost
Engineered by: Carl Talbot
Mixed by:N/A
Mastered by: N/A
Style: Studio
Format: CD
Enhancement: None
Label: Decca Classical
Website:
www.naidacole.com

Nocturelles
Oiseaux tristes
Une barque sur l'gracioso
Alborada del gracioso
La Vailee des cioches

Linto Assai: Allegro energico
Andante sostenuto
Allegro energico