Nat Bartsch – Hope (2021)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/96 kHz | Time – 40:39 minutes | 609 MB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © ABC Classic
One can never have too many albums about hope, especially albums as soothing and life affirming as Australian pianist Nat Bartsch‘s new release. While listening, one can feel one’s cares drifting away, to the point that one might ask if Bartsch has known much suffering. The truth is that the earliest tracks were written in response to the Australian bushfires, later pieces were written during the pandemic, and one is dedicated to the memory of a favorite piano teacher. It’s not that Bartsch is unfamiliar with suffering, but that she gazes through the pain to the potential healing on the other side.
The slow, steady rollout began last year with the Searching for the Map EP, represented here by two pieces. The title track was written as the skies were filled with smoke, the name referring to the search for loved ones as well as the future of a nation affected by climate change. The ivory serenade comes across as wistful, the comfortable pauses between notes affording time to appreciate the reverb. The piece ends in suspension, resisting a happy ending. “The End of the Decade,” written on New Year’s Eve, unfolds as a solo piano piece, but adds strings midway. Their entrance is like that of a group of friends appearing at one’s door, bearing gifts. As the anthem rises, one is filled with hope for the new year, although the thought that this new year was 2020 is somewhat sobering.
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