Glass Houses Vol. 2

“…an outstanding solo piano recording…” – Réa Beaumont, The Wholenote

Ann Southam was a close friend and musical collaborator of Christina Petrowska Quilico for almost 30 years. Petrowska Quilico began performing her music in 1981 and has recorded a number of her major works for piano. Glass Houses Revisited (Centrediscs) was the third collection and the first recording of this cycle and remains Centrediscs’ best-selling CD of all time. It was nominated for a JUNO for Best Classical Composition in 2012. Glass Houses Vol. 2 completes the entire set of “Glass Houses” for Centrediscs.

Passion and sensitivity, phenomenal technique and “dazzling virtuosity” (New York Times) characterize pianist Christina Petrowska Quilico, whether she is playing a Liszt piano solo, a Mozart chamber work, the Grieg concerto or the premiere of a new work by a living composer. Her 30-some recorded titles encompass contemporary works by Canadian and International composers as well as standard repertoire.

Born in Winnipeg, Ann Southam (1937-2010) completed musical studies at the University of Toronto and the Royal Conservatory of Music. Southam’s works have been commissioned through the Canada Council for the Arts, the Ontario Arts Council, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, and continue to be performed in Canada, Europe and the United States. She was honoured with the Order of Canada, and earned a posthumous JUNO nomination for Best Classical Composition in 2012.

Works/Tracks

1. Glass Houses #14 7:19

2. Glass Houses #11 11:31

3. Glass Houses #15 9:05

4. Glass Houses #10 8:58

5. Glass Houses #12 7:01

6. Glass Houses #8 9:54

REVIEWS

“This is difficult and nuanced music, and Christina Petrowska Quilico is entirely up to the challenge. […] These performances are deeply musical and affecting.” – American Record Guide

“Ms. Quilico gives us about as definitive a version as we are likely to get for some time. She has the rhythmic independence between right and left hands and the inherent pianistic artistry to make it all sing. RIP Ann Southam. Her memory is well served and her brilliance enshrined in this marvelous Volume Two of Glass Houses. If you are the slightest bit into pattern and repetition, you will want to hear these beautiful works and Ms. Quilico’s definitive way with them. Very recommended.” – Grego Applegate Edwards, Gapplegate Classical

“The pianist and production team have given careful thought to the order that the pieces appear on the album. From a shimmering opening to intense, driving movements, there are also playful moments with unexpected jazz riffs. Petrowska Quilico’s recording exemplifies the artistry and physical endurance that are required to create this seamless musical vision for one of Ann Southam’s masterpieces.” – Réa Beaumont, The Wholenote

“If I had to sum up the character of the music and performance on this disc in one word, it would be ebullience. I have rarely encountered music that is so ceaselessly optimistic in character.Given the daunting technical challenges these pieces present to the pianist, it is a testament to Petrowska Quilico’s consummate mastery of the instrument and intimate understanding of Southam’s compositional language that these pieces sound as effortless as they do. Further, the textures are remarkably clear, the articulations so precise, and the balance between the hands so beautifully positioned that one loses sight of the flawless musicianship required to perform these pieces; rather, one is immersed in the captivating, magical, minimalist sound-world that Southam has created. Along with Southam’s beautiful music and Petrowska Quilico’s spectacular performance, full marks must be given to both David Jaeger as producer and Dennis Patterson as recording engineer for their work on this extraordinary recording.” – Edward Jurkowski, CAML Review

“You know what they say about people who live in glass houses. They shouldn’t throw stones, but what about tossing handfuls of diamonds into the air? And if we could slow down time to watch them fall, savouring their ever-changing shapes and the tiny fractions of sunlight they cast about we might have something like the visual equivalent of Ann Southam’s set of piano pieces called Glass Houses. Listeners who are wary of minimalism will want to take a deep breath before putting this disc on. Just about anyone would be well advised to listen to just two or three at a time. But as one becomes familiar with them, their many beauties become increasingly apparent. For example, No. 14 is reminiscent of an early summer morning while No. 15 has a decidedly jazzy feeling to it.” Richard Todd, Classical Music Sentinel

PERFORMERS:
Christina Petrowska Quilico