American Pianist Paul Barnes to perform at Lipscomb on Valentine's Day

For a unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, join American pianist Paul Barnes at Lipscomb University in Ward Hall on Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m., for his recital titled “Love, Death, and Resurrection in the Musical Vision of Philip Glass, Victoria Bond, Franz Liszt, and Orthodox Chant.”

Anna Moseley | 02/07/2019

For a unique way to celebrate Valentine’s Day, join American pianist Paul Barnes at Lipscomb University in Ward Hall on Feb. 14 at 7:30 p.m., for his recital titled “Love, Death, and Resurrection in the Musical Vision of Philip Glass, Victoria Bond, Franz Liszt, and Orthodox Chant.”

 

Barnes, inspired by this piece, will perform Glass’ Orphée Suite for Piano and Victoria Bond’s Simeron Kremate along with Ballade No. 2 in B Minor and others works.

 

After meeting on an airplane in 1995, Barnes and Glass, known by many as one of the most influential musicians of the late 20th century, formed what would become a 23-year-long successful musical collaboration. Using transcriptions from Glass’ operas, Barnes has commissioned pieces for the piano and continues to gleam inspiration from Glass.

 

Since then, Barnes commissioned and presented the world premier of Glass’ Piano concerto No. 2 (After Lewis and Clark) as well as the Orphée Suite for Piano and Annunciation.

 

Throughout his career, Barnes has recorded 12 CDs, including his latest of this CD, “New Generations: The New Etidues of Phillip Glass and Music of the Next Generation.” American Record Guide remarked that it provides "further proof of Barnes ability to communicate new music with flair and passion.”

 

With performances throughout Europe, the Near East, the Far East and in the United States, Barnes’ unique lectures and recitals have received international acclaim. He is currently a Marguertie Scribante Professor of Music at the University of Nebraska- Lincoln Glenn Korff School of Music and teaches at Vienna International Piano Academy in the summer.

 

Barnes explained that it was after the loss of several dear friends that he began to explore the "profound musical treatment of love and death in the music of Phillip Glass, Victoria Bond, Franz Liszt and Orthodox chant,” specifically in Glass' 1992 opera Orphée, in which the composer explores the timeless themes of sacrificial love and death following the loss of his wife.

 

Barnes and Bond, an American conductor and composer, have collaborated on two pieces: Ancient Keys, based on a Greek Orthodox Chant, and Simeron Kremate (Today is Suspended) based on the Greek Orthodox hymn on the crucifixion of Christ.

 

Barnes’ recordings are available on iTunes, Apple Music, Amazon, YouTube and Pandora.

 

The concert is free and open to the public.

 

To learn more about Barnes, visit paulbarnes.net.