Coming to Divine Art: Tales of the Glens – Piano Works by Irish Composer Philip Hammond

Divine Art Records is delighted to welcome to its roster the fine pianist Anthony Capparelli, who has recorded Tales of the Glens – a collection of piano works by Irish composer Philip Hammond. The works recorded, through thematic reference, musical inspiration, and use of traditional melody, centre in focus on the Glens of Antrim, one of Ireland’s most beautiful regions. They delve into the history, people, landscape, and folklore, taking the listener on a journey to this magical place. With his extensive oeuvre for the instrument and prominence as a composer in Ireland, Hammond’s rich colour palette and deeply pianistic writing delights the ear with a lush world of textures befitting this theme. The album contains three premiere recordings of Hammond’s solo repertoire which include works based on traditional harp melodies originally collected and transcribed by Edward Bunting (the Bunting versions are also included here). Finally, the centrepiece of the album is an innovative multi-movement work for pianist and storyteller titled Tales from the Sea of Moyle. A collaboration between Anthony Capparelli, Philip Hammond, and two of Ireland’s most renowned bearers of the storytelling tradition, Liz Weir MBE and Colin Urwin, this work tests the boundaries of collaboration between art forms. Each story is set along the Antrim coast and delivered by the commanding voices of Weir and Urwin, offering the listener guidance, and sometimes warning, on their journey.

Anthony Capparelli is a pianist originally from Wisconsin, USA. He has performed as soloist and chamber musician in six countries, and has an extensive background in teaching and collaborative piano. He has a wide range of musical interests, and as a soloist currently works with modern repertoire that ties in his upbringing in folk and Irish traditional music. As a chamber musician, he has toured across the Midwestern area of the USA and also in Ireland and the UK. Anthony has worked and performed in masterclasses with prominent ensembles such as the Elias String Quartet, Kronos Quartet, the JACK quartet, and with pianists Orion Weiss and Emanuel Ax. In his work with vocalists, Anthony has performed in masterclass for Dietrich Henschel, Dale Duesing, Lawrence Brownlee, Eric Owens, Charlotte Margiono, Martin Wölfel, and with members of the Lorelei Ensemble. He has a deep love for the operatic and art song repertoire and has trained for a year at the International Opera Academy (BE) in 2021/22 as a pianist-repetiteur where he worked on multiple productions.

As a soloist, Anthony has performed in six countries, and in concert with the Kenwood Symphony Orchestra, the St. Croix Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Minnesota Orchestra. He is passionate about bringing music to audiences that have limited access to it, and has taught piano and performed recitals in small rural pubs, hospitals, senior care homes, and prisons. He holds a Doctorate of Musical Arts from the University of Iowa under the tutelage of Dr. Ksenia Nosikova and received his Postgraduate Soloist Diploma at KASK/Conservatorium (BE) studying with Daan Vandewalle. He now lives in Gent, Belgium.