Zebra lovers, hello! The strange visual concept at least has the merit of drawing attention to this new Deutsche Grammophon pianist. Julius Asal, a 27-year-old German pianist, is a student of Eldar Nebolsin and András Schiff. Listening to it, one senses a “German Víkingur” (a reference to Víkingur Ólafsson) who delivers a program interpolating Scarlatti and Scriabin (Preludes And 1D Sonata), as Ólafsson had once interpolated Rameau and Debussy. It is very difficult to judge a pianist on a single disc, and we will expect Asal to deliver imposing and sharp works, because the breadth of his sound production seems a little limited in the 1D Sonata by Scriabin. On the other hand, when it comes to poetry, the young man leads us to fascinating, even hypnotic lands, as a singer of a contained sadness that does not hesitate to stretch time. Julius Asal, who scrutinizes and sculpts music, succeeds in marrying the two universes. The rest of his journey will be watched with great interest to see if reverie is his asset or his limit.
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