The CD of Bacevičius’ “Complete Mots” launched in London

“Vytautas Bacevičius: The Complete Mots,” Gabrielius Alekna’s first CD on “Toccata Classics” label, has been launched in London on January 25, 2012. The Lithuanian pianist and composer Vytautas Bacevičius (1905–70) is one of the undiscovered pioneers of twentieth-century music. His series of seven Mots (‘Words’) for keyboard – five for solo piano, one for organ and one for two pianos – were written between 1933 and 1966 and show the evolution of his musical language from the post Skryabin style of the early works, via the influence of Prokofiev and Stravinsky, to a highly individual modernism, akin to that of two fellow radicals, Varèse and Wolpe. More than half of the compositions on this CD are first recordings. In this project, its initiator Gabrielius Alekna collaborated with the two-time Grammy winning producer Judith Sherman and the three-time Grammy-nominated pianist Ursula Oppens. The launch event in the Lithuanian Embassy in London included a conversation between Gabrielius Alekna and Martin Anderson, the owner of “Toccata Classics,” as well as live performances by Gabrielius Alekna of Bacevičius’ compositions.