Adios Nonino - Aki Kuroda

In early August, this blog brought to you two solo piano versions of Adios Nonino: a rhapsodic version and a minimalist version. In today's featured video, a third arrives which I will tag the emotive version. It is both arranged and played by Aki Kuroda.

I find things to admire in both the rhapsodic and minimalist versions but it is Ms. Kuroda's version which moves me. She brings a depth of understanding of the emotion within the piece which is rarely found. In part, the video succeeds because of the arrangement but I think it is the performance that moves the piece into the realm of special. Her use of time - rather the suspension of time, sometimes only a few microseconds in mid-phrase - is very powerful and lends an element of bereaved disbelief that I find quite moving. The piece was written at the time of death of Piazzolla's father and is both an elegy and a celebration of that life. If you have not seen it, I recommend Kat Eiswald's video as a primer for the composition. If the combination of Kat's video and Kuroda's performance doesn't stir a bit of sadness in you, check your pulse.

Ms. Kuroda was born in Osaka and currently lives in Milano. She studied at the Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and is a prize winning pianist who has appeared as a guest soloist with many orchestras, including the highly respected Tokyo Symphony orchestra. Early in her career she discovered and devoted much of her energy to Piazzolla. Her first CD, Tango Prelude, is entirely devoted to Piazzolla and her second, Tango 2000, also contains several Piazzolla tracks. Unfortunately, her CD's appear to be difficult to obtain outside of Japan.

Marvelous music which most of us would never hear were it not for YouTube. You will find more of Ms. Kuroda's music in dedicanto's channel - music which may surprise you. I strongly hope that some more Piazzolla appears on this channel soon.

If the video does not appear below, click here.



To learn more about Piazzolla videos, visit the Piazzolla Video site.