J.S. Bach, Liszt & Ravel: Piano Works

Japanese pianist Keigo MuKawa’s program explores the themes of farewell, loss, and remembrance. The selection of works encompasses a time span of more than two centuries. It begins with the master of the Baroque Johann Sebastian Bach, moving on to a virtuosic composition by Franz Liszt and works by Maurice Ravel. The Frenchman based the pieces featured here on Baroque and Classical forms, and thus we come full circle. Another common character trait is the fact that the limits of the keyboard are tested and broken, such as the imitation of the posthorns in the Bach, in Liszt ’s creation of highly contrasting sound fields and finally with Maurice Ravel’s later orchestration. It is also noteworthy to ponder whether and to what extent these pieces rely on extramusical programs.