Olivier Messiaen's “Visions de l’Amen” performed by Sarah Rothenberg & Marilyn Nonken at LPR

But there is also a great deal of tightly woven interaction in this richly textured score, and while the distinction between the two piano parts was always clear, Ms. Nonken and Ms. Rothenberg made much of the internal dialogues, particularly in “Amen de la Consommation,” the rhythmically expansive, epic finale.

-NY Times

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In the work’s centerpiece, the “Amen du desir,” Nonken and Rothenberg culled an improbable array of timbres from their pianos — misty lightness, harsh spikiness, breezy wind chimes, plucked strings and percussive growls.

In its lyrical opening, the performers seamlessly laced together the most delicate cushion of sound, their contributions flawlessly integrated, giving the impression of a single performer. They were equally game as the work heated up, building to emphatic, jazzy constellations that spiraled upwards only to fall back and repeated chords that escalated in fervor.

The concert would have been a shame to miss, but it was also a CD-release celebration, so there’s still a chance to hear the two play the same work on their new Bridge label recording

-NJ.com

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