The piano works of American composer Charles Tomlinson Griffes represent a remarkable musical achievement. Griffes was active as a composer for little more than twelve years. Nevertheless, he produced pieces of great maturity that are both concise and extraordinarily powerful, showing the contemporary European influences to which he was exposed but also demonstrating a highly individual compositional voice. Roman Sketches, his most famous work, includes "The White Peacock" - an acknowledged Impressionist masterpiece - while the final movement, "Clouds," heralds the language of modernism. Almost all of Griffes's piano music is present here, played by his compatriot Garrick Ohlsson, who here applies the full force of his interpretive and technical prowess.
The piano works of American composer Charles Tomlinson Griffes represent a remarkable musical achievement. Griffes was active as a composer for little more than twelve years. Nevertheless, he produced pieces of great maturity that are both concise and extraordinarily powerful, showing the contemporary European influences to which he was exposed but also demonstrating a highly individual compositional voice. Roman Sketches, his most famous work, includes "The White Peacock" - an acknowledged Impressionist masterpiece - while the final movement, "Clouds," heralds the language of modernism. Almost all of Griffes's piano music is present here, played by his compatriot Garrick Ohlsson, who here applies the full force of his interpretive and technical prowess.
