Minimalist music is well into its second half-century, and it makes sense by now to call it a tradition. Whether or not one adopts the term postminimalism, it is clear that younger composers have absorbed the lessons of the founders and applied them in various ways. The music of Philip Glass has been key in this development; seemingly simple, it contains various implications that are explored here. Pianist Vanessa Wagner here includes several Glass compositions, all of them from the 1990s or later (the short piece "The Poet Acts" is from the 2003 set The Hours). From Glass' example proceed works from various composers, not all of whom would be classified as minimalist. Moondog's Sea Horses is a later work from the composer's German period, but even his early music was cited by Glass as an influence. Ryuichi Sakamoto's Solitude might fall under the progressive rock umbrella, while Nico Muhly's Quiet Music could be called neo-tonal or neo-Romantic. Yet all this music seems to fit together in Wagner's well-sequenced program, and she does much to define the shape of minimalism going forward. A bonus for listeners elsewhere will be the inclusion of several composers from Wagner's native France; these are at the end of the program and show the influence of film music, another genre minimalism has been touched by and has touched. Any listener with the slightest interest in minimalism should hear this release. ~ James Manheim, Rovi

1		The Poet Acts
2		Sea Horses
3		Solitude
4		Etude 4
5		Etude 2
6		Quiet Music
7		Number 1
8		Opus X
9		Six + Six
10		Mineral

	Like us on Facebook
	@SoundHound	Follow