Pianist Jenny Lin bought the world premiere of National Medal of Arts, Pulitzer Prize, and GRAMMY Award-winning composer William Bolcom’s Suite of Preludes to TRC Founding Member Hudson Hall, on October 2, 2021. Hudson Hall is back from the pandemic with exciting programming.
Composed during lockdown, this new nine-movement suite shares the bill with music by Philip Glass, Bolcom’s friend and contemporary. The two met in the 1960s in Paris while Glass studied with teaching great Nadia Boulanger, and Bolcom with composer Darius Milhaud. Lin, who performed one of Glass’ most recent pieces, Passacaglia for Solo Piano (2017), a more recent work commissioned in Denmark. and selections from his soundtrack to the 2002 film The Hours, chose the repertory as a nod to her own collaboration with both composers.
Lin, a Steinway pianist playing on a Steinway Grand, opened with Graceful Ghost Rag, composed in 1970 and released on Bolcum’s best-selling vinyl album Heliotrope Bouquet (1971). Lin has often performed both Bolcum and Glass works. For this performance, Lin’s dexterity and fluid performance were exciting to watch, both lyrical and staccato, even the quieter moments were filled with energy. Lin closed out the performance to play Glass’ Candy Man with the theme of It was always you, Helen, from the 1992 horror film, Candyman.
Currently at Hudson Hall, A Love Supreme celebrates the legacy of Alice and John Coltrane.