Piano Chronicles, Album 2 is a continuation of Russian-born and Moscow Conservatory-trained pianist/composer Yelena Eckemoff’s musical autobiography. This album contains two suites of music composed in her late twenties and late thirties. Experimental and edgy, Eckemoff’s deep roots in modern classical music is very apparent. The group of seven “Poetic Songs” are pieces that were composed around the work of several different poets. For this recording, the vocal parts were replaced by musical instruments (keyboard), but the music was performed with Russian singers in the late 1980’s. The piano is still very prominent, but is only part of the musical texture. The music in this group tends to be very dark and reflective, and is more than a little bit challenging. “Fairyland” is lighter in mood, but this is a mysterious place where danger lurks. “Baba-Yaga” is a popular fairy tale about an old and ugly witch. This bouncy little piece is my favorite of this suite.

The second suite is subtitled “Old, New Impressions.” Seven of the eleven pieces are solo piano. “Pictures of The Past” is one of Eckemoff’s most melodic pieces so far. The intimacy of just the piano and pianist makes this piece very touching, as it depicts the highs and lows of life. “My Pastel Drawings” is more delicate and spare, and is also very lovely. As its title implies, “Bitter & Sweet” blends a mix of emotions, and does so very effectively - a favorite. “Reading By the River” depicts the flow and sparkle of a river with one hand, and the peacefulness of being lost in a book with the other - a fascinating study! “The Clouds of Blue” is lightly enhanced with other instrumentation, and is a gentle, soothing bit of musical tranquility - float away! “Iced Rain” is a solo piece that sparkles and chills at the same time. Fast and crisp (mostly without pedal), you can almost feel the sting of the ice on your face. “Dec. 31, 1972” is a graceful waltz in a classical style with variations on the theme. “Folk Waltz” is a melancholy, Russian-sounding piano solo in the first half that becomes (MIDI) orchestrated for the second half. “Russian Fantasy” is based on one of the most popular Russian folk songs, “White Birch.” This jazz-rock arrangement is catchy, creative, and a great way to end the album. I hear that “Piano Chronicles, Album 3” is in the works, so stay tuned!

In listening to several of Yelena Eckemoff’s CDs recently, I find that I personally like her more recent work best, but it’s so interesting to hear how she has evolved as a composer over the course of a few decades. Her piano technique is phenomenal and all of her work is sincere and heartfelt. If you prefer someone like Jim Brickman, this won’t be your cup of tea, but if you enjoy exploring the work of someone with a unique musical vision, I think you’ll really enjoy this journey. Piano Chronicles, Album 2 is available from www.yelenamusic.com and amazon.com