Alan Griffiths, Evgeny Ukhanov Performs Griffiths, Volume 1, Introspection

In the world of music, specifically Classical Music today, there are no iron-clad rules as to what style is in favor, what is au courant. It is OK to be Atonal or Tonal, Neo-Anything, High Modernist or rethinking Early Music forms, anything goes. So Alan Griffiths gives us Neo-Romantic piano in the manner of Chopin, Liszt or Rachmaninoff, only in his own original light, on Evgeny Ukhanov Performs Griffiths, Volume 1, Introspection (GriffithsComposer).

There is an hour or so of piano music here, from the very lyrical "Reverie II" to the cascading tides of "Rhapsody & Fantasia," the melodic and feelingful "3 Meditations" and on from there.

There is substantial music to be heard. "A Touch of Tango" has just that but thematically and notefully it is much more than one might expect and there lies what is special about this music and its fine performance by Evgeny Ukhanov.  It is backward looking, even past dwelling, but it does that in ways that transcend mere rear-view mirror gazing, for it has authentic originality.

Very beautiful piano music, beautifully performed. If lyrical Neo-  makes sense to you, I do recommend you dive into this one.