The brilliant Nikolai Kapustin wrote music for himself. Having to explain the exact place where the divide between his obvious deep love and influence of...

The brilliant Nikolai Kapustin wrote music for himself. Having to explain the exact place where the divide between his obvious deep love and influence of Jazz and Classical lies must have left him feeling tired and resentful of agreeing to talk about his unique work. Kapustin simply did not wish to put energy into it, compared to the actual act of composition. (Incidentally, the answer is: there is no such divide for him, so perhaps listening without the expectation of one can put us closer to the magical place from which he operated.) His music could only come from such an infinitely curious spirit, molded by rigorous Classical training in Russia and a highly developed love and talent for Jazz.

Melanie Spanswick's Enigma, composed in February 2019 especially for Japanese pianist Yuki Negishi, is a miniature programmatic work that inhabits a dreamy, atmospheric sound world. It employs the full range of the keyboard and seeks to showcase the enigmatic resonance of the instrument. Works new (by Robert Mitchell) and old (by Frédéric Chopin) round out the selections, and Bill Evans's Peace Piece instills a final calm and catharsis.