Anthology of American Music, Vol. 5: American Dances – Cecile Licad

The Anthology of American Piano Music is designed to show the stylistic breadth, high musical quality, and great originality of the best American piano works. The series contains underrated, neglected or forgotten masterworks of the American literature for solo piano from the 18th to the 21st century that have been selected primarily for their musical worth and origi-nality. The com- positions are assembled in a series of themed CDs, their programs being connected by one common theme or overarching idea. Vol. 1, “American First Sonatas”, comprises the first piano sonatas by four American composers from different periods, including the very first sonata ever composed in North America. Vol. 2, ‘Music of the Night’, a 2 CD album, assembles a selection of American noc-turnes and other piano works related to the theme of Night, while Vol. 3, ‘American Landscapes’, includes three complete cycles of character pieces and eight stand-alone works featuring musical im-pressions from North American landscapes. Vol.4 contains the complete set of compo-sitions for piano and orchestra by George Gershwin. The present CD (Vol.5, “American Dances”) is a compilation of works for solo piano that are related to the theme of Dance.

Review

MusicWeb International May 2023

“Licad gives a stunning and technically brilliant performance of this hugely demanding work. It brings an excellent recital to a breathless conclusion… As in the previous volumes, I find Cecile Licad’s playing impeccable, illuminating and inspiring.