Italian composer Lorenzo Masotto says his decision to produce a solo-piano album was “a real homecoming.” The suitably titled Home is his sixth LP; the first written solely for piano.
“After years of experimentation I needed to go back to writing only for piano, which has always been my instrument,” wrote Masotto in an email. “This new compositional need led me to create an album where I find sounds and harmonic textures that represent me deeply, in a very intimate way.”
The material is certainly personal. But not uncomfortably so. Part of Home’s accessibility – and its potential for broad appeal – is the work’s relatability. It is neither overdone nor austere. This sort of even temperament has a welcoming effect. No matter how adventurous your taste may be, the intimacy on display in each of these 10 pieces is sincerely engaging.
The album opens with “Aura,” an exquisite single released last fall. Listeners of a certain age will recognize a mix of retrospection and appreciation for the here and now. From the start, it feels like Masotto is at a significant point in his life, professionally if not otherwise. His work has never lacked for maturity, but even against his impressive discography this feels like a big step forward.
The album’s second single is “Forget.” By comparison, this one is less uplifting but no less beautiful. The two initial releases feel like bookends of what a mature “homecoming” is about. Masotto has returned with stories to tell, some happy and some sad. This is a gentle nod to the latter.
The remaining pieces fill the space between those bookends with a range of sentiment. All of it presented in a tasteful, beautifully performed manner. It will surprise no-one to hear that Masotto has been working on his art since the age of nine.
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