Thomas Kotcheff - Frederic Rzewski - Songs of Insurrection (2020) [Official Digital Download 24/96]

For his debut solo album, rising Los Angeles-based pianist Thomas Kotcheff has taken on a formidable challenge: the premiere recording of American composer Frederic Rzewski’s virtuosic (and timely) Songs of Insurrection, based on protest songs from seven countries around the world.

The album, produced by Aaron Holloway-Nahum, comes out Friday, November 13 on the Coviello Contemporary label. That evening, Kotcheff will perform a free online recital with three movements of Songs of Insurrection, an except from Rzewski’s Four Hands with the piano duo HOCKET, and a newly commissioned work by composer Jordan Nelson. The concert will stream 5 pm Pacific Time / 8 pm Eastern Time at thomaskotcheff.com/livestream

Kotcheff describes Songs of Insurrection as “fiendishly difficult to play.” The seven-part work lasts 75 minutes, with optional episodes of improvisation. It took Kotcheff more than a year to learn Songs of Insurrection, but the effort paid off handsomely: Mark Swed of the Los Angeles Times described his performance on the LA’s Piano Spheres series as “dazzling.” Kotcheff also earned San Francisco Classical Voice’s Audience Choice Award for his rendition, edging out pianist Yuja Wang for “Best Instrumental Recital Performance.”

TRACKLIST

1. Thomas Kotcheff - Songs of Insurrection: No. 1, Die Moorsoldaten (Germany)
2. Thomas Kotcheff - Songs of Insurrection: No. 2, Katyusha (Russia)
3. Thomas Kotcheff - Songs of Insurrection: No. 3, Ain’t Gonna Let Nobody Turn Me Around (USA)
4. Thomas Kotcheff - Songs of Insurrection: No. 4, Foggy Dew (Ireland)
5. Thomas Kotcheff - Songs of Insurrection: No. 5, Grândola, Vila Morena (Portugal)
6. Thomas Kotcheff - Songs of Insurrection: No. 6, Los Cuatro Generales (Spain)
7. Thomas Kotcheff - Songs of Insurrection: No. 7, Oh Bird, Oh Bird, Oh Roller (Korea)



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