Sometimes I discover new music with a bit of delay. Of course I heard Einaudi’s new album The Summer Portraits from January 2025, even though it was 2-3 months later. I liked it then and I thought, well, it’s Einaudi as we know and love him. The other day I read a comment on Einaudi that a lot of musicians are jealous that he makes so much music out of so few real material. And I do agree, in general it’s not much that he takes, mostly one motif or maybe two to build that up into small pieces and sometimes epic ones. But still this is the power of Einaudi who manages to write emotional music that touches your heart without too much complexity, but it is still worked out, not a plain sketch.
In the last days I fell in love with his piece Pathos that is not merely a piano piece, it’s a force of nature that comes at you when you least expect it. Einaudi has worked with other musicians, often string artists like violin or cello. But this time it’s even more, when you listen: cello, violin, accordion, even percussions that accompany the center of the piano. It begins really petite, but then it swells to a storm of feelings, that’s why the title Pathos is more than fitting.
The recording on the album is great, but additionally I found a live recording that is worth listening and watching, because you can observe all the musicians that are involved. If you have the time listen to both – the recording is just for diving into sound which is essential with this piece. The live version is for learning the whole depth.