Here is a 10th Anniversary Special Edition of Philip Glass Selected Etudes performed by the pianist and composer, Giusto Di Lallo.
This is interesting, as it presents a musicological, methodical approach to Glass’ music. Di Lallo poses a question to his audience that is typical of his creative vision:
Why offer the public another recording of Glass’s Piano Etudes when there are already dozens of them out there?
When Di Lallo first acquired the sheet music for the Etudes and began to analyse and study them, he was struck, “almost with disappointment,” by the fact that many pianists had deliberately transformed the sense of some of the Etudes. The main discrepancies that caught Di Lallo’s attention were primarily regarding the tempi, although he also realised that pianists had often altered the dynamics and phrasing as well.
This disc is in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the publication of Glass’s Etudes. Di Lallo presents a selection of these pieces, attempting to stay as faithful as possible to the original intentions of the composer. A fascinating interview with Giusto Di Lallo s available on the Gramophone website here. And here is the composer himself talking about his Etudes:
I would suggest Glass’ Etudes are in the tradition of Chopin, Debussy et al: studies, yes, but musical statements in their own right. Glass is one of those composer’s who has an instantly recognisable footprint; an even greater achievement within the field of Minimalism. So far thee are 20 Etudes; a race complete set over two discs issued August 2024 on Delphian by Máire Carroll acts as a useful comparison.
One thing I would add to the musicological aspects of Di Lallo’s performances is that he also brings a composer’s insight to his interpretations. Perhaps composers relate in a unique way to other composers’ scores … it often seems so (Boulez is a prime example, or Knussen), and so it is here.
The Somm recording is quite bright, which suits Glass’ music well: a Yamaha C3 piano is und, which is a perfect choice. Di Lallo’s performance is fresh: textures have the clarity of Bach. Di Lallo offers a very even right hand melody. The music is launched by a chord sequence, almost like a flourish, before the fra more alive main body. You can hear the Somm in the links below, and see he is in one of Di Lallo’s “Home Session” videos:
Over on Delphan, Carroll is far more rapid (5″18 against Di Lallo’s 7″03). It is a very different experience, more restless, with decidedly less pedal. there are moments that I feels like Glass is celebrating the Chopin Etudes in his own vernacular, but it is Di Lallo who essentially feels closest to Glass’s heart.
The Etude No. 2 is far more personal,. a move to more interior emotional regions. It is actually a set of variations (eight) on a ten-bar theme. Glass explores the whole range of the piano, creating a registral space that is filled by the characteristic repetitions, complete with metrical feints. Di Lallo takes something of an objectivist view, which is effective, for sure, and allows for moments of pull-back that can be effected without undue agogic or slowing.. It sits in opposition to Vikingur Ólafsson’s DG account, which is much closer to pos-Impressionism:
.. and if you follow this link you can see the score (with Ólafsson’s interpretation). Carroll is rather nondescript in this etude, sadly, a demonstration of the difference between literalism and objectify. The former is blank-neutral, the latter offers analytical insight that can be on the way to deconstructivism (not always a bad thing, as Giuseppe Sinopoli’s readings of Mahler Symphonies proved).
Di Lallo moves then to Etude No. 18, one of the final set of three commissioned by the Perth International Arts Festival (here’s the programme note Glass provided for that occasion). The 18th Etude glowers somewhat in Di Lallo’s hands. It is a magnificent performance, the balance between sustaining pedal, clarity and atmosphere perfectly achieved. Ólafsson offers a slightly dreamier version yet with terracing and clarity all intact: it is a close-run thing here (sadly Carroll seems rather vanilla in comparison to either). Here’s Ólafsson:
I love De Lallo’s approach to Etude No. 3, a sort of slowed-down Conlon Nancarrow in its complex, mechanistic way. This video provides a score. Here, Carroll is better, impetuous, even fiery in her crescendos. Here’s Di Lallo in another of his “Home Session” videos:
It is a good idea to put the reflective tide No. 16 next, and I like the way Di Lallo emphasises the sectional nature of the piece (the sudden bass entry, for example). This is one of di Lallo’s finest performances.
The longest Etude on the disc is No. 17 (a just under eight minutes). There’s a lovely harmonic “slip” at the opening: over an E-natural bass, the music oscillates between major and minor before shifting to F-Minor. Di Lallo’s cleanliness of articulation makes his reading a triumph: accuracy but not literalism. Instead the ascending arpeggiations seem to hold an aspirational power (I am reminded of the end of Satyagraha). De Lallo has a way with Glass’ more tender moments (typically a statement in the extreme upper end of the piano). Here’s another “Home Session”:
Here, as a supplement, is an astonishing video (realised in real-time by Cori O’Lan) of the long-time Glass specialist Maki Namekawa in the Etude No. 17. Her performance equals Di Lallo’s in what might be termed “Glassian integrity”. For both, is the composer’s intention that is of prime importance:
I do find Máire Caroll more persuasive here. This alternative video holds a score; interestingly, there is a version by Marielle Labèque on DG, but the recording is too muffled:
Etude No. 6 is one of the more frequently performed, I believe. I has Lisztian tendencies in its grandiosity; Di Lalo laudably reins these in, as does Carroll, in one of her better readings. Here he is in the Home Session (you can obviously hear the Somm in the links below):
… and here’s Carroll:
Next up is Etude No. 8, which in its genre interiority links, perhaps, with No. 2 heard earlier. Here’s Di Lallo, tender; and poignant when the second half of the theme arrives (its structure is AABB). Di Lallo offers a Bachian aspect to some of Glass’ gesures that is most insightful, too:
The Etude No. 12 has an intriguing, almost niggling syncopation in the bass whilch latr comes across as the tolling of a bell. Di Lallo is ugly persuasive in this pice. In terms of the repetitions of one note, it is almost as if Chopin’s D flat Prélude has been commandeered.
Finally, the glistening Etude No. 9. Di Lallo gives a beautifully modulated performance, and it is the perfect end to his carefully-considered sequence. In absentia YouTube for Di Lallo, here’s the equally effective Ólafsson:
This is a most rewarding album. Giusto De Lallo is a fine pianist and I look forward to hearing more for him.
Giusto Di Lallo’s new album of Philip Glass Selected Piano Etudes – 10th Anniversary Special Edition was released 7th February on SOMM: full streaming details at https://listn.fm/glassetudes/ The disc is available at Amazon here. Streaming below.
