Colores de un otoño incipiente

Pianist & Composer Juan María Solare releases his album ‘Colores de un otoño incipiente’, translating to ‘Colours of an incipient Autumn’. When played in its intended order, the titles of the individual tracks can be read as verses of a poem (in Spanish) - A poem that alludes to aging.

Musically, this cycle of works abounds in harmony of chords by fourths in a minimalist neoclassical aesthetic. The way of working texturally with the piano highlights the pedal, the resonances, that third dimension of sound. This work represents a point of contact between the sober expressivity of Alban Berg and the experimentalism of John Cage.

These seven “somewhat abstract” pieces were composed at the end of 2019, in several cases with the pianist’s new-born daughter in his arms, trying to put her to sleep (and that she stays asleep). This explains the cautious nature of the music and its prudent dynamics that never reach a mezzoforte.

The album was released (on Spotify and other streaming platforms) on 22 April 2022, coinciding with what would be the pianist’s father’s 103rd birthday. It is also autumn - but in the southern hemisphere, where the composer was born.

Recorded on a Steinway grand piano at the Musikschule Bremen (Germany). Recording and mastering technician: Alexander Derben.

For the artwork, the photographer and visual storyteller Leon Drago, from London, has kindly authorised the use of his photograph ‘Pathway, The Garden House and Pergola, Hampstead Heath extension, London’.

The recording of Colores de un otoño incipiente (with the composer on piano) can be found here, released through the label Janus Music & Sound: https://gyro.to/Coloresdeunotooincipiente

Colores de un otoño incipiente [Colors of an incipient autumn]

Track order / poem:

1) Declina el día. [The day declines.]

2) Cobriza de hojarasca, la tierra aguarda. [Coppery with old leaves, the earth awaits.]

3) Inocencia [Innocence]

4) Apergaminada por las largas vigilias. [Parched by the long vigils.]

5) Frugal ante la desmesura, [Frugal in the face of excess,]

6) Se resignó a lo inconcluso [He resigned himself to the unfinished]

7) Y dejó un hueco de luz en esta nada. [And he left a hole of light in this nothingness.]

Here you can find the sheet music of Colores de un otoño incipiente