On the occasion of Philip Glass’s 80th birthday, and in view of the current global situation, Franz Xaver Ohnesorg felt inspired to remind music lovers of the cultural richness and variety of the New World, and to recall that its artists strongly defend humanistic values. With that motivation, the Ruhr Piano Festival 2017 was held under the global motto of “The Americas,” focusing on the music of the entire double continent. That focus is likewise reflected in this annual release, which presents the finest performances from the festival. This album includes spirited, colorful music of several South American countries, piano rarities from North America, as well as a world premiere from composer Manfred Trojahn. All five featured pianists are stunning in their performances, making for several hours of outstanding listening.
