Esteemed pianist, composer, and professor Jeffrey Biegel chatted with Digital Journal about his 2019 Grammy nomination for « Best Classical Compendium. »
Esteemed pianist, composer, and professor Jeffrey Biegel chatted with Digital Journal about his 2019 Grammy nomination for « Best Classical Compendium. »
Regarding his 2019 Grammy nod, Biegel explained, « It is an unusual feeling because at first, you go into the website expecting not to be nominated. As I scrolled down the long list of categories, after seeing a few classical categories and not seeing Kenneth Fuchs’s recording listed, I thought, ‘Well, ok.’ But upon scrolling to the best category of all, the ‘Best Classical Compendium’ and seeing the recording listed, I was taken aback. It was my first recording to receive the nomination. The compendium is for all the artists, as I am one of four soloists represented in the album with Ken’s fabulous piano concerto.
On Fuchs: Piano Concerto ‘Spiritualist’, Biegel remarked, « Kenneth Fuchs has created many works which are very special. I consider this a significant addition to the repertoire for piano and orchestra. This particular work reflects three paintings by American abstract artist, Helen Frankenthaler. »
Biegel continued, « I like to coin this style ‘Neo-Impressionism’, which basically reflects the style of Debussy, Ravel, Satie, and their contemporaries. It includes the use of church modes, and warm colors of sound, juxtaposing a fabulous passionate personality. It is a fusion of everything which came before, be it jazz, Classical, Romantic etc in a most unique melodic and harmonic language. Yet, it is unique to Ken’s voice, his impeccable melodic style and use of harmonies to create his own sonic landscape which audiences are responding to most favorable.
