MUSICAL SPURS

Irish convictions -
BASIL RAMSEY investigates the music of Ian Wilson

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Catalan Tales, which is Wilson's third piano trio, started as an exploration of the medium itself, and takes paintings of Joan Miró to initiate the impulse of each movement. In a sense we are still in the spirit of the previous trio. Wilson's reaction to the world through his music wholly reflects his expressed views of faith and life.

The five paintings are a musical spur, and serve to identify with the harmonic colour and textures of Wilson's music. The first movement reflecting Birds in Space is of something high and ethereal [listen - track 9, 3:29 - 4:00]. His musical palette constantly overflows with colour, never garish yet sometimes opulent and sometimes sombre.

A work apart from the Trios is for piano and cello (as distinct from cello and piano), entitled Six Days at Jericho, inspired by 'the idea of an endless walk'. Wilson has taken up the challenge of a texture supporting a steady crotchet pulse, and does it with apparent ease to create close to a nine-minute walk. Ian Wilson should steadily gain admirers for, and users of, his distinctive talent.

To listen to the aural illustrations in this review, you may need to download RealNetworks' realplayer G2.