James Rhodes – Vitamin C (2023) [Official Digital Download 24bit/96kHz]

James Rhodes – Vitamin C (2023)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 01:10:01 minutes | 1016 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Instrumental Records

James Rhodes, victim of repeated rape and sexual violence at the hands of his gym teacher, uses music as a means to unearth and treat his enormous trauma. He recounts on the cover of his last recording that, to cope during his sad childhood, he listened tirelessly to the records of Ivo Pogorelić, Glenn Gould and Grigory Sokolov. Now a coveted pianist, he has formed the present programme by, in his own words, collating the music that helped him survive as if it was “a monster dose of Vitamin C.”

Choosing to put his baby portrait on the cover undoubtedly reveals the face of innocence before it was tainted by the predator who died before his trial. Following the publication of James Rhodes’ autobiography, a law bearing his name was introduced in Spain to help protect minors.

The Anglo-Spanish pianist’s present album can be considered the musical counterpart to his autobiography. Pieces by Chopin and Bach are played with deep-rooted intimacy and touching simplicity. There’s little revolt in his playing, but rather a kind of appeasement. Even a work as intense as Chopin’s Sonata No. 3 in B minor is played with tenderness. – François Hudry

Tracklist:
1-01. James Rhodes – Mazurka, Op. 17 No. 4 (05:03)
1-02. James Rhodes – Scherzo No. 3 in C-Sharp Minor, Op.39 (07:04)
1-03. James Rhodes – Nocturne in C-Sharp Minor, Op. Posth. (04:03)
1-04. James Rhodes – Impromptu, Op. 36 (05:54)
1-05. James Rhodes – Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: I. Presto con fuoco (14:26)
1-06. James Rhodes – Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: II. Scherzo. Molto vivace (02:08)
1-07. James Rhodes – Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: III. Largo (09:47)
1-08. James Rhodes – Sonata No. 3 in B Minor, Op. 58: IV. Finale. Presto, ma non tanto (05:28)
1-09. James Rhodes – Largo in E-Flat Major, B. 109, Op. Posth. (01:23)
1-10. James Rhodes – “Kommst du nun, Jesu, vom Himmel herunter”, BWV 650 (Transcr. for piano by Samuil Feinberg) (03:26)
1-11. James Rhodes – The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Prelude No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 867 (03:12)
1-12. James Rhodes – The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, BWV 846-869: Fugue No. 22 in B-Flat Minor, BWV 867 (03:32)
1-13. James Rhodes – “Widerstehe doch der Sünde”, BWV 54 (Transcr. for piano by Vikingur Ólafsson) (04:31)

Download: