The main thrust of pianist
Brad Mehldau
's work is jazz, but he has always defined that genre very broadly, and he has drawn inspiration over his career from genres ranging from progressive rock to bluegrass music. In 2024, he issued a pair of albums on which he engages with classical music, aspects of which have often been present in his earlier works; one pertains to
Bach
, and the present release,
Après Fauré
, features music by
Gabriel Fauré
. It is not all après ("after")
Fauré
; the majority of the tracks consist of music by
himself, with which
Mehldau
does a perfectly creditable, if low-key job. His extensive notes identify the distinctive qualities of
's late style, with its mysterious chromaticism that seems to emanate from his world alone rather than responding to external stimuli. At the beginning, he contrasts the opening
Nocturne No. 13 in B minor, Op. 119
, effectively with the much earlier
Nocturne No. 4 in E flat major, Op. 36
. Perhaps most interesting are the four works of
's own. One might expect them to be jazz take-offs on
's work, but actually, almost the opposite is true.
devises structures based on motor rhythms but flavors them with
-like harmonies. This can work out in various ways, but sample the opening
Prelude
from the
set for an idea. This is an intriguing release from one of today's most interesting pianists, no matter what genre one may choose for him, and it made classical best-seller lists in the spring of 2024. ~ James Manheim