Yngve Guddal & Roger T. Matte
Genesis For Two Grand Pianos
ncb 01-43N
The Fountain Of Salmacis, Can-Utility And The Coastliners, One For The Vine, Down And Out, Duke's Travels, Evidence Of Autumn.
It seems that Steve Hackett listened to this record and he liked it. I have no difficulty to believe it. We announced this project in the last issue and told you that soon it would become an official release. That's done! Another Genesis tribute but this time very special: in fact the six songs, whose titles you read before, are performed by two Norwegian pianists with a classical background. They arranged the repertoire so that songs very elaborate can work well even if they're played only by four hands (however much virtuous they are!). In fact,Yngve Guddal and Roger T. Matte performed the pieces only with two grand pianos Steinway D, and the outcome is quite unexpected and pleasant, surely more deserving than many haphazard tribute albums. A credit note goes to the choice of the songs, all wonderful but, for once, not the same old pieces. For understandable reasons, the two pianists chose songs either written by Tony Banks (to whom the record is dedicated) or, however, with considerable orchestrations.
The CD (41 and half minutes long with cover of the recently ever present Paul Whitehead, even if, to tell the truth, it doesn't seem to me one of his best artwork) starts with one of the most beautiful songs in the Genesis history, "The Fountain Of Salmacis". Only listening to the intro (that originally was based on the synth arpeggio and the crescendo of mellotron and cymbals) we can understand how the two pianists want to work: while one plays the riff, the other, using notably the low keys, makes the crescendo. The two follow closely the original score, also in the vocal melodic lines: however this is a piece in which the Tony Banks' keyboards are absolutely predominant, and so there are less difficulties, that at most come up when it's time to remake the Steve Hackett's outstanding guitar parts.
Another great masterpiece follows (like the previous song, maybe, but not counted so at all): "Can-Utility And The Coastliners". Also in this case the performance of Yngve and Roger is faultless and more faithful than the previous track, maybe because the guitar parts are more adaptable to the piano.
Ended the Gabriel era, the two measure themselves against one of the absolute highlights of the brief period of the four Genesis. "One For The Vine" starts like the original, that was based on piano and voice. Of course, the things change in the central instrumental section where they attempt to reproduce the electronic percussion sounds that Phil Collins played. But the two cope remarkably.
Maybe many fans of the old Genesis will remain astonished observing that half of the record is dedicated to the period in which Genesis were three and especially to the 1978/80 period. Even if the two albums released weren' t masterpiece at all, however that biennium turns out very beautiful songs. For example, listen to the first track of "...And Then There Were Three...", "Down And Out", whose intro is here reproduced with some difficulty, which goes on until the end of the song, maybe the less convincing.
On the contrary, "Duke's Travels" is excellent. Despite the absence of the Phil's glowing drumming, the two musicians manage to reproduce remarkably every rhythmic stressing as well as obviously the parts played by Tony, that dominated already the original version.
The record ends with an underestimated treasure, "Evidence Of Autumn"; a "Duke" outtake that was released at first as b-side of the single "Duchess", then in the European and American version of "Three Sides Live" and finally in "Archive #2". After a faithful intro, the two add a slowest section before starting with the singing melody and lead the cover successfully to the end.
Although it hasn't a special creativity, this tribute is surely very interesting, at least because it shows the grandeur of some Genesis songs, confirming once again that some Tony's pieces work out fine also in a pure classic form. In fact, who of us hasn't ever thought that Tony could be considered the Beethoven of the 20th century? It's impossible to find this album in a record store. But you'll be easily able to order it connecting yourself at the site www.geocities.com/virtual-y/genesis/index.html .
Mario Giammetti (Dusk # 38 - February 2002)