Fazil Say - Morning (2024) [Hi-Res]

“Music suited to the joyous simplicity of morning and the melancholy of evening…”

"In 2019, I began to think about making concept albums. Of all the ideas I developed, one of the most potent was that of collating works that we would like to listen to in the morning and evening. This was the sentiment behind the creation of the albums Morning and Evening.

Consequently, for both albums I sought out music that I found to be reminiscent of either morning or evening, choosing pieces that embodied the unique joy and melancholy of these times of day. In the process, I added some new works alongside those I have been performing live for many years.

Shortly before the pandemic, I recorded these pieces at the Mozarteum Hall in Salzburg, separating them into two albums. I think I have shaped a delightful array, in which each piece is expressed with my own interpretative style. For me, they are all beautiful pieces of music.

Working on the principle that simplicity was suited to morning music, I leaned heavily towards baroque and early classical pieces for the Morning album. For example, I created a morning classics series that consisted mainly of works by C.P.E. Bach, Daquin, Scarlatti, Mozart, Haydn, Chopin, Debussy and Tchaikovsky. Of course, there are also some more energetic pieces on the album, like my composition Winter Morning in Istanbul and Asturias by Albéniz.

The Evening album features classics from the Romantic and late Romantic period, including Chopin’s Nocturnes. After all, the word “nocturne” itself means evening music. Berceuse, also by Chopin, is something of a lullaby. I also chose some Impressionist works, like Clair de lune by Debussy. The works I chose to record for evening listening are Spanish Dance No.5 (Granados), “Dobrou noc!” (Janáček), Intermezzo No.1 (Brahms), “Isoldes Liebestod” (Wagner), Gnossiennes (Satie), “Ständchen” (Schubert–Liszt), Sonatine (Ravel) and “Träumerei” (Robert Schumann).

Playing these pieces, I sensed the unique rhythm of morning and evening hidden in their natural flow. I hope you will enjoy listening to them."