Piano Variations On Jesus Christ Superstar

Italian piano genius Stefano Bollani presents his variations on the rock opera Jesus Christ Superstar for solo piano.
Stefano Bollani, most grateful for the exceptional permission granted to him to re-interpret the cult opera ”Jesus Christ Superstar”, has freely (but respectfully) approached and improvised on the original tunes and songs by following his own playful wit and musical spirit, informed by many of the musical traditions, genres, styles and encounters that have influenced him, and shaped and consolidated what is considered his very own idiom. As on his recording, consisting of a large selection of the tunes of the original concept album, Bollani is going to perform his ”Piano Variations on Jesus Christ Superstar” in concert by following the story plot. With the global narrative structure in mind, the dramaturgy of the album was set from the very beginning of his recording session. However, when approaching the single tunes of ”Jesus Christ Superstar”, Stefano Bollani follows his own musical spirit and genius by freely improvising on and fantastically elaborating the original material in the moment – with deep respect and with beautiful fantasy. And – as usual – with joy and with love. For his ”Piano Variations on Jesus Christ Superstar” Bollani has decided to have the piano tuned at 432 Hz, which nowadays is rather unusual. He has done so neither for mystical-philosophical nor for medical-scientific or historical-political but for the following reasons. Firstly, he simply feels at ease the most when playing at 432 Hz. Thus a simple matter of personal taste: whenever he can, he will play on a piano tuned at 432 Hz, and he wished he could always play at 432 Hz when performing. Secondly, for his re-interpretation of ”Jesus Christ Superstar” Bollani wanted to a have a particularly warm, mellow, profound, dense and at the same time clear piano sound (”of the past”) that could best vehicle the utterly profound and archaic emotions and extreme unanswered questions raised by the original work.