Mischa Blanos – Titans LP

Mischa Blanos – Titans LP // Longcut Records – LNG007

Imagine a time capsule where I’ve invited the greatest classical music composers. They cannot go out, they are trapped here with me. Sometimes they will fight, sometimes they will shout their frustration, some of them will ignore others, and sometimes you’ll find them in a tight embrace. These western music titans are breathing, smiling, kicking here. It’s their collective Resurrection in my mind and fingers.” Mischa Blanos
“Titans” is a solo contemporary classical album where the pianist Mischa Blanos creates an original work based on his most cherished classical music composers that influenced him. The western titans are recalled through bits of moods, rhythms, musical scales and motifs that outlived after Mischa Blanos had forgotten all the classical musical scores of his academic upbringing. They are brought back to life as if given the opportunity to speak to each other, compose together and share their musical signatures. It’s their collective revival, where Mischa Blanos creates the perfect modern liaison.
Within the seven tracks of the album “Titans,” listeners will discover an eclectic blend of influences, often encountering the distinctive styles of Bach, Beethoven, Chopin, Liszt, Debussy, Tchaikovsky, Gershwin, Bartok, and Shostakovich, sometimes within the same piece. For the classical music enthusiast, this journey becomes a delightful excursion through the ages, offering the opportunity to discern the signatures of these Western titans. This playful game of “Who’s Who” and the thrill of spotting these influences adds an extra layer of enjoyment, making the listening experience even more rewarding.
Mischa Blanos composed the album in unusual circumstances. He was in the studio recording his Acoustic-Electronic solo project and finished earlier. He wanted to make use of that studio time and eventually unwind himself from the electronic mood he was into. What began as a free-ride piano improvisation, soon turned into a flow state, being completely absorbed by the memories of the classical music scores he learned since he was seven. Flashbacks of musical harmonies and rhythms, glimpses and chunks of forgotten pieces or just pure impressions of classical composers came to him in a fully immersed state of mind.

Tracklist