Atlantic Crossing.

was described to us in the program notes as a piece of extraordinary difficulty for the pianist, equal only to the Rachmaninoff piano No.3, that technical summit of the repertoire. Kevin Volans was concerned about the risk of injury for the pianist due to the intense physical strain. Marc-André Hamelin told us the piece was unrelentingly rhythmic and percussive, in imitation of syncopated drumming, with the pianist flailing away on the whole range of the keyboard. And indeed, the piece requires technical virtuosity: it demands the ability to arpeggiate chords at breakneck pace, then later to play divergent scales with both hands at light speed.

Picture of composer Kevin Volans by Keith Gemerek