Fred Vanterra – Mythanien

Fred Vanterra taps into the origins of the piano with his elegant and timeless “Mythanien”. Utilizing only the piano for these pieces he proves to be an expressive player. By capturing the subtle hues of the instrument, he paints with a wide variety of color. Originally the piano was known as the piano forte in Italian, which roughly translates to “soft-loud” dependent upon the way the keys were struck. One could hit them softly and loudly at the same time. Throughout “Mythanien” Fred Vanterra does both: exploration of both the quietest impulses as well as capturing a fiery passionate performance.
Influences abound, ranging from the ancient to the contemporary. During the most sublime moments he touches upon Debussy’s impressionistic playing, with every key as light as a feather. Other moments feature a contemporary flavor, drawing from the gentle spirit of George Winston. A few moments even touch upon a certain bombastic quality with jazz affects added for good measure, forceful, raw, and full of heart. Within this approach he manages to tie the works together. The album serves as a great journey every piece yet another part of that much larger path of discovery. Without needing to say a single word he crafts a finely hewn narrative.
The title track and opener “Mythanien” sets the tone for what follows. Deep registers boil up as the song begins with an intoxicating rhythm. Full of tremendous power, he lets it all fade out to reveal a moment that feels reminiscent of Clair de Lune. A reflective ode emerges on the tenderness of “Taama” which neatly captures a small moment in such a blissful fashion. Working itself into an absolute force of nature the cyclical “Firnya” has a gorgeous, gracious charm to it. Duality between the delicate and the domineering the work helps to give it a sense of balance.
Right in the very center of the album are the two competing visions of sound laid bare. “Kuha Baza” rarely rises above a whisper, yet remains peculiarly captivating. Even as Fred goes for heavier moments the adherence to the minimalistic take feels potent. Going for a no holds barred approach “Nemul” starts immediately with a fierce defiance to it as a little bit of honky tonk manages to weave its way into the mix. Meditative to its very core “Casoley” allows for pastoral image to filter into the song’s impeccable vision. Deep resonant keys give “Stalaga” a cinematic flourish for the melody has a rich memorable quality to it. Perfectly concluding the album the colossal “Castelle” ends things with poignancy.
A beautiful dazzling display of soul and talent, Fred Vanterra creates a work that demands multiple listens on the beguiling “Mythanien”.