Concert Fantasy on Meyerbeer's Robert le Diable

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Paraphrase written and performed by myself.

I posted a recording of this some time back, prior to final studio editing and cleaning-up. Here's the "official" version, courtesy of divineartrecords' YouTube channel.

Hope you all like it!

[ted]

I am surprised this has not drawn more comment from the creative viewpoint. To write powerfully and convincingly in any idiom of the past is very difficult. It is a constant battle between preservation of authenticity and being true to oneself as a creature of another time. I have tried it on many occasions with other styles, given way to the latter impulse and failed the initial intention entirely. However in your case, you have such a deep-seated affinity with the underlying emotional ambiance that you are able to bypass mere surface mannerism. It is a much rarer ability than one is inclined to suppose. In fact the only composer who springs to mind is Reginald Robinson, whose classical ragtime is so authentic that he refers to himself as a "man out of time". Your unique sound and clarity of execution gives you a head start in your chosen style, of course. Very enjoyable indeed, and I look forward to hearing more of your own creations.

[ronde_des_sylphes]

Thanks, ted. There are naturally elements of this which are close to pastiche - I know reasonably to very well four separate paraphrases on themes from this opera and it is hard to avoid subconscious, even conscious, influences. There are places where Liszt's version threatens to burst through! Sonority was a particular concern when writing this, so I'm quite pleased you commented on the sound, which I think is one of the big plus points of the recording. I tried to use certain pianistic textures/effects with specific sonority outcomes in mind. I'm working on other paraphrases just now, but I'm highly selective about them so I have little idea about what final form they will emerge in.