"Apparitions", for piano (2000)

Recording data: March 2001, pianist Giovanni Grosskopf.

AUTHOR'S PRESENTATION
First conceived to accompany the theatre recitation of a tale by the Italian writer Luciano Rossi, "Apparitions" is originated, as usual for the Author, from the reworking of musical ideas and passages derivated from other compositions of his (not necessarily for piano), but placed here in a different context, developed in a different way, and all adapted to the features of the piano. The title (which should be pronounced in the French way) has a double meaning: apparitions of vivid images in one's mind, suggested by the titles, evoking different atmospheres, but also apparitions in the composer's mind of the "ghosts" of his previous compositions, as if they were asking him whether he has already developed their music ideas thoroughly and properly, or there is still something to understand, something which he should continue his work on, since his task has not yet been accomplished.
The piece is formed by four different moments and attitudes, which correspond also to four different well-pondered harmonic choices. The first and the last pieces, in their delicate mood, almost remind us two watercolor paintings in pastel, soft colors. The ample, luminous and placid atmosphere of the first movement "Il Faro" ("The Lighthouse") (influenced by the typical sonorities of composers of the English and American school) is followed by the concentrated, enchanted, ecstatic and unearthly mood of the second movement, "I nobili Elfi del bosco..." ("The Noble Elves Of The Woods..."), in which chords of considerable timbre richness are intentionally used, carefully selected. The third movement,"Il Grido di Luce" (The Cry Of Light), is dramatic, dazzling, a piece of striking, essential brevity. In the final movement, "Il Ricordo" (The Memories), the melody which had appeared in "Il Faro" reappears, well recognizable, but varied, in order to be better suited to the composed, almost demure sonorities of new chords. The whole collection of pieces "Apparitions", from a technical point of view, has also the value of a study on the specific acoustical and expressive features of the completely different kinds of chords which have been carefully chosen and employed in each movement, in order to create different, evidently contrasting atmospheres.