Walton Lott Delivers Some Intense Performances On The "Impulses" Record
- R.A.G.
- 2 minutes ago
- 3 min read
Walton Lott recently released a series of pieces from two different composers that speak volumes for his technique and performance approach, as these works are in depth and can get quite lively.
The record is called Impulses, and one of my favorite aspects about it is the fact that he's displaying so much incredible range throughout this set of pieces.
Right off the bat, you have four works from Frederic Rzewski cold "Four Pieces for Piano". The first of the four pieces is dubbed "Dreamlike: Violent, Impulsive", and for good reason.
The piece pretty much comes right in with this massive intensity that feels slightly rambunctious and angry.
The speed of how he hits those keys at certain points is just amazing. It's not a contemporary piece, but more a theatrical throw of blistering performance, as he pounds the keys with perfection.
Within the first 20 seconds of this piece, you are drawn to it. You can't turn away.
As it plays on, you have moments that feel calmer. The keys have a lighter approach; there's a little breathing room to step back for a moment. It displays a bit of a different element to this feeling of endless frustration.
It's like having a fit, screaming and yelling, throwing your hands about, and then, after a few minutes of it, stepping back and taking a breath.
I love the fact that it very rarely lets up aside from those smaller moments of breath.
The next piece, still under the "Four Pieces for Piano" st, is called II. Light + Bouncy".
This also makes total sense when you listen to the piece because it does have a bouncy feel. Keys roll off into each other, jot along, and it's got a little bit of a different vibe. You still have elements of sporadic approach and a bit of fierceness in its underbelly, but there's more of a melodic element to this piece.
The third piece in the series is called "III. Loosely, With Feeling", and this has an amazing way of combining those two elements. You have some beautiful melodic approach, a lot of light and heavy performance, and the whole thing really sort of surrounds you and pulls you into its elegant yet strangely delirious atmosphere
These are pieces that will grab hold of you in different ways.
Each of the pieces from the Frederic Rzewski set speaks a different tone, but there is a confluent element that connects all four of them together.
No matter what, you hear those bursts of intensity coming through, whether it's for a huge chunk of the song or smaller sections. There's always a bit of that high-intensity element that sort of slaps you in the face.
I'm a huge fan of these first four pieces, as they really got my attention, to see the least.
The next set of works is composed by John Harbison, and is dubbed "Piano Sonata No.2, I-IV. "
And the first of the four feels distant. It has a bit of an emotional tonality and aesthetic to it that tells a story.
The second piece in the series, called "Aria", is quite a beautiful one. This leans more on classical with these sort of hinted undertones of jazz in the notes and melodies. It's got a little bit more of a straight line than some of the other pieces in terms of its performance and range of tonality.
This whole release is something that you should be soaking in while alone.
It's the kind of record that puts you in a bit of a trance, mostly because of the performances of these works. It's just so mind-boggling how someone can come and not just perform the pieces, but understand them enough to perform them with the right overtone, mood, heart, and emotion attached to them in the first place.
I would definitely suggest listening to the full record and really taking it all in.
This was an incredibly performed release. Walton Lott completed his DMA and MM in keyboard performance at the University of North Carolina. As of now, he teaches, lives, and performs in Boulder, Colorado.
When you listen to the record, you just want to go see it performed live.
If you have this level of authenticity on record, then seeing it performed live, right in front of you, must be outstanding and transformative.
Don't miss this one.
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