The Toronto Star
Published on Mon Apr 15 2013
Eve Egoyan scores with solo pieces by Ann Southam: album review
By: Special to the Star Published on Mon Apr 15 2013
CLASSICAL
Toronto pianist releases exceptionally fine album of pieces by the late composer.
Toronto pianist Eve Egoyan’s new album includes five solo pieces by late composer Ann Southam.
EVE EGOYAN
5 (Centrediscs)
On Friday, Toronto pianist Eve Egoyan officially releases this exceptionally fine album of five solo pieces by Ann Southam, a local composer who died in November 2010. These five pieces, found among Southam’s papers after her death, are related in mood and intention. They are quiet, deliberate mediations on tone and gentle dissonance that straddle movement and stasis, perched on a needle’s point of balance and consonance. In short, they are the very essence that makes something interesting to listen to: the repeated patterns sound the same, but are ever shifting both tonally and rhythmically, preventing us from being lulled into stupor. That said, this music could easily open the door to some fruitful meditation sessions, as Egoyan patiently, timelessly cradles us in Southam’s sound cloud and rocks us back and forth with a gentle rhythm. What we hear is, on the surface, absurdly simple, but that’s because of Southam’s tremendous craft — and Egoyan’s dedication. It doesn’t matter what sort of music you usually listen to, pushing the play button on this album opens a door to a new world of wonders. Egoyan’s launch concert at the Glenn Gould Studio will include music by other composers as well.
John Terauds
Ann Southam / Photo courtesy of Dance Collection Danse
“5” : works by Ann Southam
Eve Egoyan, Piano
Works by Ann Southam