Grand Encounters: Alessio Bax

Alessio Bax describes his program:

Bax describes the program: “Italy has always had great music, and the starting point is that each of these pieces relates to Italy somehow. But what is really explored in depth are the much more subtle and
meaningful similarities between the pieces. The most recent composer, Dallapiccolla, was
inspired by Bach, at the other chronological extreme of the program. The Liszt St. Francis and
Dallapiccola have strange similarities in subtle gestures and even silences. There are Baroque
connections between the Marcello and Rachmaninov, which also share a tonality. The
Rachmaninov – his last work for solo piano, and one which I have lived with on and off and
loved deeply for over 25 years – and the Dallapiccola are both very eloquent, introspective and
personal sets of variations. The Dallapiccola, which is a rare jewel on its own,  functions as a
kind of “filter” for the rest of the program. The Dante sonata finally sums up all that is essential
for humankind,  the breadth of emotions, life experiences and reflection that are in all of us and
in every work on this program.”