In The Morning: Music of Alec Wilder

On his sixth album for ECM the Italian pianist and his trio reflect on the work of American composer Alec Wilder (1907 1980). I first came into a more direct contact with Alec Wilders music in the early 90s, when I was performing his Sonata for Oboe and Piano and his Sonata for Horn and Piano, Battaglia remembers. I had already known some of his popular songs like While Were Young, Blackberry Winter and Moon and Sand through the intense versions Keith Jarrett has recorded. But after working on Wilders chamber music I wanted to develop a deeper connection with his intriguing musical universe, and Ive discovered an immense hidden treasure.

Almost three years after their last ECM album Songways, Battaglia and his partners Salvatore Maiore (bass) and Roberto Dani (drums) develop an almost telepathic rapport on In The Morning, a live recording from April 2014 at Teatro Vittoria in Torino. My take on Alec Wilder is completely focused on the melodic aspect... after twenty years of study I can totally identify with this music, Battaglia emphasizes.