Review

Polish composer and pianist Krzystof Meyer (b.1943) is new to me but not to my Baker’s Biographical Dictionary (7th ed. [1984], rev. Nicolas Slonimsky), which says his “musical intelligence and acoustical acuity are of the rarest quality.” Based on this CD I concur heartily. The extended, single-movement Piano Quartet (2009) is an unusually formed work. To my ears, imaginative process and compelling content are equally involved. Declamation, dialogue, perpetual motion, stasis and recurrence are prominent yet unpredictable modes of presentation. To be sure there is considerable dissonance, yet the tonal centre and interval structure are clear. Passionate expressiveness of three Silesian String Quartet players complements pianist Salajczyk`s virtuoso performance.

The Piano Quintet (1990-91) is a larger work in the traditional four movements. Its opening establishes a severe but still tonal musical language based on hierarchy of pitches. In the second movement I was especially taken by Meyer’s mastery of the mid- and late-twentieth century vocabulary of sound and texture, even though he does not use extended instrumental techniques. Throughout, the quartet and Salajcyzk never falter in ensemble, tone quality or dynamic control. Triplets in the more lively third movement suggest a vestigial scherzo; as perhaps also do sudden outbursts and high, scratchy strings. I enjoyed also the last movement’s drama and variety of effects – ornamental scrambles around main pitches, high dissonant bells in the piano and closing silences interrupted by retreating pizzicato whispers.