The first few words that come to mind when I think of pianist Vikingur Ólafsson’s recordings are:
Meditative
Profound
Comforting
Impassioned
Whether he’s recording modern compositions or those from the classical canon, Vikingur Ólafsson always delivers a product that, to my mind, fits the above descriptors.
Today we’re discussing Ólafsson’s 2022 album From Afar. As stated by Deutsche Grammophon, From Afar is Ólafsson’s musical life story; it encompasses moments from his childhood up to his present-day fame as a concert pianist. Included in the double album are works by J.S. Bach, Béla Bartók, Robert Schumann, Johannes Brahms, György Kurtág, Snorri Birgisson, Sigvaldi Kaldalóns, W.A. Mozart, and Thomas Adès.
Throughout the album, he beautifully juxtaposes concert hall favorites with Hungarian and Icelandic folk tunes. To cover all bases, a world premiere of The Branch by Thomas Adès is also on offer.
So, what inspired such an amalgamation of classical works neatly packaged into one double album? Ólafsson reports that the album was inspired by a 2021 encounter with his hero, Hungarian composer György Kurtág. To be sure, From Afar is his most personal album release to date.
You may have already surmised that this isn’t a typical classical piano album release. The recording is referred to as a “double album” both here and by Deutsche Grammophon; and it is, however the same works are recorded twice–once on a beautiful grand piano as we’d all expect, and then again on a felted upright piano akin to what we would see in someone’s childhood home. Why? Nostalgia, to be sure. But also, the timbre of a grand piano is so vastly different from that of an upright that the listener can have a completely different experience with the works even though he or she is hearing the same track list back-to-back.
While some have remarked that they wished for more up-tempo, enlivened, virtuosic playing on this album, to me it makes perfect sense that a nostalgic project such as this would embody the expansive solitude we often seek when taking account of our lives.
If you enjoy piano music, From Afar is well worth a listen. You’ll experience a pleasing and thought-provoking variety of composition styles and timbres. And for those concerned by the generous length of some classical compositions: the longest track on this album clocks in at just under five minutes.