“Rarely do program notes capture the intangible, inexpressible nature of the works they describe. But such is not the case with composer Kevin Lau’s album Under a Veil of Stars, whose notes accurately describe the music as ‘music that invites us into an experience with the warm, welcoming touch of the familiar, only to then show us the universe”
The four piano trios by the Hong Kong-born Canadian composer are wonderfully performed by the St. John-Mercer-Park Trio (Scott St. John, Rachel Mercer and Angela Park). The opening of the first movement, The Stars are Never Still, demonstrates limpid, supple piano playing, complemented by exquisite, warm string sonorities. Lau’s fluid writing evokes colourful spaces and varied textures. Flavours of Spanish and modal music, combined with echoes of the classical and popular music repertoires, bring interesting accents to the work, recalling a spirit of American naiveté (derived from Aaron Copland)
The second movement, Land of Poison Trees, features repetitive rhythmic and melodic motifs, reflecting the cacophony of modern life. The consonant harmonies are pleasant to listen to, and the trio’s excellent playing expresses Lau’s musical sounds with tenderness and warmth. In contrast, the third movement, In That Shoreless Ocean, creates an atmosphere of resignation: the end of a short, eventful life for this magnificent piano trio…..”
