Every piece on this recording has a life of its own, a soul, and a personality. To me, Beethoven’s music is life-changing and miraculous; through his music, I find hope and inspiration. In the Piano Sonata in D Major, Op. 10, No. 3 – with its beauty, innocence, drama, and intensity – he explores every human emotion. This sonata is a very enigmatic piece that fills me with joy. Subtleties and complexities abound, yet it remains very elegant and concise.
The Rachmaninoff Moment Musical is a mournful, reflective work with a melody that resembles a decadent song. It is idyllic, passionate music that transports me to a beautiful place that feels like old-world glamor.
In White Lies for Lomax, Mason Bates dreams up a subtly bluesy homage to ethnomusicologist Alan Lomax, who explored (and recorded) “the soul of the land” in the American South.
I commissioned a solo work from Dan Visconti, a wonderful American composer. The result, Ampliflied Soul, reflects on the evolution of melody and the way resonance can “amplify” a musician’s soul.
Szymanowski’s Variations in B-flat Minor, Op. 3 is a set of romantic, brilliant, and colorful variations; they are remarkably inventive and expressive, exuding a sense of freshness.
Words are not my strength; I have always expressed myself best through music. Being an integral part of my life, music colors my every feeling, thought, and desire. Inspired by the then-upcoming birth of my daughter, I recorded these pieces because I love them and because I want to share the magic that they embody. They have all been part of the constant soundtrack of my life, and have indeed amplified my soul.
—Gabriela Martinez
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