OVER THE RAINBOW

S. Rachmaninoff, Preludio in do magg, op. 32 n. 1
Preludio in la bem. magg. op. 23 n. 8
Preludio in sol magg. op. 32 n. 5
B. Strayhorn, Take the A Train
S. Sondheim, In Buddy’s Eyes, da Follies
R. Schumann, Auf einer Burg, dai Liederkreis op. 39
S. Rachmaninoff, Etude-Tableau in la mi. op. 39 n. 2
I. Berlin, All by Myself
C. Tao / S. Rachmaninoff, Improvvisazione su Rapsodia su un Tema di Paganini, Var. XV
H. Arlen / A. Tatum, Over the Rainbow, registrazione del 1953 (trascr. di Conrad Tao)
S. Rachmaninoff, Rapsodia su un Tema di Paganini, Var. XVIII
B. Strayhorn, Lush Life
S. Rachmaninoff, Daisies
B. Strayhorn, Day Dream
S. Rachmaninoff, Etude-Tableau in C minor, Op. 33 No. 3
S. Rachmaninoff (arr. Inon Barnatan), Danze sinfoniche, op. 45 

The New York Magazine describes the American pianist and composer Conrad Tao as the “type of musician who is forming the future of classical music”. As a soloist with leading orchestras performing the traditional repertoire Tao’s approach and artistic vision are encyclopedic, and his impressive range offers innovative projects, with impact. His own compositions have been performed by orchestras throughout the world. His first orchestral work enjoyed its world-wide prima with the New York Philharmonic.
This evening’s recital will be enriched by his comments, on topics like how Rachmaninov influenced American music, particularly popular pieces, and jazz in New York in the 1920’s, which in turn has influenced this evening’s musician. Tao starts with Preludi and then the Études-Tableaux, presenting the “luxuriant chromatism”of Strayhorn’s Lush Life, and Take the ‘A’ Train and Day Dream. The program also runs to Harlem, Berlin and Sondheim, Schumann’s Auf einer Burg and the Liederkreis. Tao comments: “When I thought about it, I was trying to tell a short tale about Rachmaninov arriving in New York… He didn’t write much music when he got there, but I think you can sense his new interest in jazz.”