Helena Basilova: Homage to Ryuichi Sakamoto-extra concert

Helena Basilova

Pianist Helena Basilova is always looking for new music. Her father - a prominent composer who studied with Alfred Schnittke - wrote works for her when she was young. Since then, collaborating with living composers and contemporary music projects has been continually important to her. The discovery of the music of Ryuichi Sakamoto caused Helena to look for new possibilities of the piano sound and experiment with electronic music. The recent death of composer Ryuichi Sakamoto made Helena want to record an album of his piano works. Driven by love and admiration for his music, the album, recorded in Nils Frahm's studio, is a tribute to this groundbreaking composer, to his musical legacy and to his innovative approach to piano sounds.

Ryuichi Sakamoto

Ryuichi Sakamoto (1952-2023) was a composer, musician and producer. He broke boundaries between different music genres, ranging from classical, jazz and film to 80's synthpop and experimental electronic music. He was influenced by composers ranging from Bach to Debussy, from John Cage to Boulez and Ligeti. He is also called 'an impressionist of the modern era'. Piano music has always been central to Sakamoto's oeuvre: from minimal intimate pieces to more complex 'ambient' works. The pieces that Helena Basilova has chosen for her album illustrate the intimate, mysterious and poetic world that Sakamoto has left behind.