Chicago-based modern classical composer & pianist Lena Natalia follows up her recent Parisian diptych – Rendezvous in Paris (2106) and Sundays in Paris (2015) – with a fresh album of solo piano compositions entitled Second Youth, a collection of twelve enchanting pieces that feature her fluid and expressive playing and run the gamut from melancholic nostalgia to ebullient romanticism while always embracing an elegantly minimalist aesthetic and a cinematic eye.
Like a collection of musical short stories, each song title is prompt to the imagination to visualize a scene or relive a memory while Natalia’s eloquent piano lines create a compact and compelling narrative arc to fit. The evocation of childhood in “Spinning Tops”, the cascading rhythms of “Rainstorm”, the longing of “Waiting At the Gate”, or the tentative optimism of “Transitions” are just a few examples of its abundant charms. Second Youth is an ideal tonic on a quiet weekend afternoon or during the twilight hours when a little respite can be found from the din and clamor of a frenetic world. Fans of solo piano music will not want to overlook this lovely release.
Stationary Travels 