Album

Not all art is immortal. Nor should it be. Although all art is the inspired creation of a moment, not all moments are eternal. Some moments are transitory and some art embodies those evanescent moments, and when those moments are gone, the art is evaporates.

The Moods, Impressions & Reminiscences of Zdenek Fibich have gone and his art has evaporated. While some listeners might argue that Fibich's symphonic works are his more ambitious and more substantial works, others would insist that they are merely longer and louder works. But few listeners would argue that Fibich's piano miniatures, the musical diaries of his erotic life, are monuments meant for the ages. As William Howard demonstrates in this fine 1995 Chandos recording, Fibich's Moods, Impressions & Reminiscences enshrine experiences that are ecstatic, despairing, sensual, sentimental, and sometimes very, very sexy, but they are rather intimate. Chopin's piano miniatures have all the same qualities of Fibich's, but Chopin's music transcends the transitory for the eternal because it incarnates rather than embodies its evanescent moments. Fibich's music is music of an erotic moment, music meant for instant gratification and not to last longer than the moment that inspired it. By the mid-'90s, Chandos' sound had mellowed, losing its hard edge and gaining weight and depth.

© James Leonard, All Music Guide

CD 1
Zdenek Fibich Composer Moods, Impressions and Reminiscences, 171 pieces for piano in 4 volumes, Op.41 Work 1:10:06 William Howard Piano
1	Part 1. Moods. No.44 in Bb: Andante	3:06			$0.99
2	Part 1. Moods. No.4 in G-: Vivace	1:00			$0.99
3	Part 1. Moods. No.8 in Eb: Adagio	2:12			$0.99
4	Part 1. Moods. No.13 in Ab: Con moto	2:24			$0.99
5	Part 1. Moods. No.14 in D-: Molto agitato	1:13			$0.99
6	Part 1. Moods. No.15 in C: Adagio	2:06			$0.99
7	Part 1. Moods. No.19 in E-: Quasi presto e con fuoco	2:18			$0.99
8	Part 1. Moods. No.21 in Bb-: Allegretto	1:43			$0.99
9	Part 1. Moods. No.24 in G-: Lento	2:10			$0.99
10	Part 1. Moods. No.25 in F-: Adagio	2:22			$0.99
11	Part 1. Moods. No.36 in Bb: Andante amoroso	2:19			$0.99
12	Part 2. Impressions. No.49 in A#-: Molto agitato. Lento	2:25			$0.99
13	Part 2. Impressions. No.50 in Ab: Adagio	1:56			$0.99
14	Part 2. Impressions. No.51 in F-: Vivace	0:36			$0.99
15	Part 2. Impressions. No.52 in F: Allegretto	1:28			$0.99
16	Part 2. Impressions. No.54 in Ab: Con sentimento	1:48			$0.99
17	Part 2. Impressions. No.74 in E: Andante e dolce	2:47			$0.99
18	Part 2. Impressions. No.78 in G: Allegretto	0:56			$0.99
19	Part 2. Impressions. No.85 in G-: Allegretto agitato	1:23			$0.99
20	Part 3. Impressions. No.88 in Ab: Dolce e lento	2:38			$0.99
21	Part 3. Impressions. No.94 in Ab: Lento - Allegro zefiroso e leggiero	1:36			$0.99
22	Part 3. Impressions. No.98 in Bb: Poco allegretto	1:45			$0.99
23	Part 3. Impressions. No.99 in Ab: Lento	1:28			$0.99
24	Part 3. Impressions. No.103 in A-: Quasi gantasia	1:47			$0.99
25	Part 3. Impressions. No.106 in Ab: Allegro	0:57			$0.99
26	Part 3. Impressions. No.108 in C: Andante e dolce assai	0:45			$0.99
27	Part 3. Impressions. No.109 in C: Andante sostenuto e molto espressivo	2:38			$0.99
28	Part 3. Impressions. No.122 in F-: Lento. Poco agitato	0:37			$0.99
29	Part 3. Impressions. No.123 in G-: Lento	1:30			$0.99
30	Part 3. Impressions. No.124 in G: Lento con extrema espressione	2:28			$0.99
31	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.127 in C: Comodo	1:29			$0.99
32	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.134 in A-: Allegro moderato	1:20			$0.99
33	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.135 in A: A la polka	1:32			$0.99
34	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.139 in Db: Lento molto cantabile	1:32			$0.99
35	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.143 in Bb-: Allegro fuoco	1:03			$0.99
36	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.146 in G: Allegretto	1:31			$0.99
37	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.149 in D: Andante sostenuto	3:53			$0.99
38	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.154 in G: Allegro con fuoco	0:46			$0.99
39	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.158 in C-: Agitato -	1:08			$0.99
40	Part 4. Souvenirs. No.161 in Bb: Andantino	1:31			$0.99