GENESIS FOR TWO GRAND PIANOS VOL. 2

The Norwegians Yngve Guddal and Roger T. Matte are two classically trained musicians: Yngve visited the Uiversity Of Music in Berlin and Roger the Norwegian Academy Of Music in Oslo. They had separately the same dilemma for many years: each had tried to arrange the music of rock legends GENESIS for piano but had found it impossible with only two hands. The solution finally presented itself when they met each other six years ago, now they had four hands to play Genesis!

Genesis (70-77) is my favorite progrock band and I like classical piano so this second CD in the serie "Genesis for two Grand pianos" could match with my musical taste. Listening to this CD that only features duo-acoustic piano play from Guddal and Matte I have to admit that mixed feelings were evoked. On one hand I missed the 12-string guitars, Mellotron waves, volume pedal from the electric guitar, the Moog Taurus bass pedalls and, last but not least, the distinctive voice from Peter Gabriel. Especially in some tracks it lacks something like the agression in "The lamb lies down on Broadway" and the dynamics halfway "The cinema show". But on the other hand the arrangements are outstanding delivering a warm and romantic atmosphere in "Seven stones", a wonderful dreamy climate with tender piano in "Blood on the rooftops" and a splendid version from "The battle of Epping Forest", the lead voice from Peter Gabriel has been taken over very inventive and dynamic by the duo Steinway Grand pianos. This CD deserves a listening for every Genesis 70-77 aficionado and certainly the classical piano fans will be delighted!