Wikipedia

To Whom It May Concern: Piano Solo Tonhalle Zürich

To Whom It May Concern: Piano Solo Tonhalle Zürich is a live solo piano album by Irène Schweizer. It was recorded on April 11, 2011, at Tonhalle, Zürich in Zürich, Switzerland, in celebration of the pianist's 70th birthday, and was released later that year by Intakt Records. The music includes originals plus tunes composed by Jimmy Giuffre, Carla Bley, Thelonious Monk, and Dollar Brand.[1][2][3][4]

To Whom It May Concern: Piano Solo Tonhalle Zürich
Live album by
Irène Schweizer
Released2011
RecordedApril 11, 2011
VenueTonhalle, Zürich, Switzerland
GenreFree Improvisation
LabelIntakt
CD 200
ProducerPeter Bürli

Reception

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Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Guardian     [5]
Tom Hull – on the WebB+[6]

In a review for The Guardian, John Fordham wrote: "Schweizer has often been saddled with comparisons to Cecil Taylor, and there are certainly passages here in which she explodes into torrential, Tayloresque maestroms – but there's a lot more besides, too."[5]

Point of Departure's Bill Shoemaker stated that the album "is as incisive in its survey of Irène Schweizer's art as it is comprehensive," and commented: "Not only does she demonstrate great stylistic and expressive range... she manages to neatly fold all of this material into an anniversary concert without diminishing the fact that her music continues to evolve."[7]

Bernie Koenig of Cadence called the album "one really great recording," and noted that although Schweizer "plays in a variety of styles," ranging from "ragtime, to the second Viennese school and Elliott Carter, to Cecil Taylor," "she makes these influences hers." He concluded: "Highly Recommended."[8]

Writing for Paris Transatlantic, Massimo Ricci remarked: "the pianist questions the very meaning of the term 'interpretation', turning known quantities into utterly individual expression, a combination of concrete philosophy and extrasensory intuition... The older she gets, the better she plays."[9]

Ken Waxman of The New York City Jazz Record called the recording "One of those rare celebratory concerts that lives up to expectations," stating that it "convincingly exposes every facet of her talents," demonstrating "the iconoclastic pianist's command of her chosen idiom."[10]

Track listing

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  1. "To Whom It May Concern" (Irène Schweizer) – 10:48
  2. "Hüben Ohne Drüben" (Irène Schweizer) – 4:40
  3. "Scratching at the Tonhalle" (Irène Schweizer) – 4:52
  4. "Jungle Beat III" (Irène Schweizer) – 3:05 / "The Train and the River" (Jimmy Giuffre) – 2:45
  5. "Homage to Don Cherry" (Irène Schweizer) – 3:59
  6. "Ida Lupino" (Carla Bley) – 3:49
  7. "Four In One" (Thelonious Monk) – 2:52
  8. "Bleu Foncé" (Irène Schweizer) – 4:18
  9. "Xaba" (Dollar Brand) – 4:25
  10. "Final Ending" (Irène Schweizer) – 5:51

Personnel

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References

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  1. ^ "Irène Schweizer - To Whom It May Concern". Jazz Music Archives. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  2. ^ "Irène Schweizer – To Whom It May Concern: Piano Solo Tonhalle Zürich". Intakt Records. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  3. ^ "To Whom It May Concern: Piano Solo Tonhalle Zürich by Irène Schweizer". Intakt Records / Bandcamp. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  4. ^ "Irène Schweizer discography". JazzLists. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  5. ^ a b Fordham, John (December 15, 2011). "Irène Schweizer: To Whom It May Concern – review". The Guardian. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  6. ^ Hull, Tom. "Grade List: Irene Schweizer". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  7. ^ Shoemaker, Bill. "Moment's Notice: Reviews of Recent Recordings". Point of Departure. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  8. ^ Koenig, Bernie (July 2012). "New Issues" (PDF). Cadence. p. 201.
  9. ^ Ricci, Massimo (Spring 2012). "Spring 2012 News". Paris Transatlantic. Retrieved April 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Waxman, Ken (March 2012). "Reviews" (PDF). The New York City Jazz Record. p. 31.
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