CORPUS VOLUBILIS

Alexandre Tharaud Editions Lemoine ISMN: 979-0-2309-9592-4

The unusual title of this book, Corpus Volubilis (twisting body), an accompanying image of what appears to be a headless woman dancing, and Alexandre Tharaud’s profile as a well-known concert pianist immediately arouse curiosity. The music was apparently written over the past several years and also during the recent spells of lockdown. Whether by accident or design, there is no index, but 20 pieces are included; ten of these are just a page long, and the other half are two pages. Most pieces have been inspired by dances, and the composer has taken inspiration from all over the globe – from places such as Japan, Bali, and Guyana. They range in technical difficulty from Grade 5 to 8 plus, with multiple repetition of small fragments in various pieces, but a keen sense of musicality would be needed to help a listener look beyond the dissonance and appreciate the engaging and imaginative soundscapes.