Blüthner–Variationen

SKU: ET.PNO67

ISBN 9790207024251.

The time had come to pay homage to someone who has been a faithful companion to me for 65 years and has witnessed of the joy and pain I have endured during the writing of all of my opuses, from 8 to 111. Today he still shares my fervor for jazz music and our wonderful complicity has been preserved on my piano solo album, The Last Call...?* which I recorded at the age of 93. This “someone is my instrument, an old grand piano over 100 years old: Blüthner No. 89293, model 190, constructed in 1910 in Leipzig, Germany, and to which I dedicate this Opus 111, the very last of my series of works for piano.
The Blüthner-Variationen were composed starting with a theme I had imagined during recording sessions which were done in my home. I named it Blues in Three, since it was related to the traditional harmonic chord progressions of the 12 bar blues, but in 3/4 time. The simple theme, repeated twice, generates 8 variations, each one requiring different pianistic means.
It is my hope that future performers will like the undeniably jazzy orientation of this work.
Julien-François Zbinden, Lausanne – Valombré, 23 juillet 2012

* The Last Call...?, piano solo album, TCB The Montreux Jazz Label No. 43102.