Navona Records releases Marta Brankovich's latest LP, Marta, The Tempest. Leveraging her passion and irreplicable touch on the piano, the black swan of piano conjures an unforgettable storm. This exploratory deep-dive into the classical canon delivers fresh interpretations of works by Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Kaufman, Jirásek, and Webber, complete with a solo piano composition by Brankovich herself that offers an inside look into her artistic emergence...

As with Marta Brankovich 2018 release, Black Swan of Piano, the pianist once again delivers a diverse program and yet again I felt the highlight was her own composition, 'Tempest'.

From track to track, Brankovich delivers wonderfully traditional performances of classical music pieces you will probably already know quite well. It was quite a surprise to hear Chopin's 'Funeral March'. While it's a famous work, you don't see it on compilation albums very often.

The album concludes with two very modern arrangements - 'Requiem for a Dream' and 'Phantom of the Opera'. Here, Brankovich is joined by Denver Cooper on electric guitar. There's also a heavy rock drum vibe going on... all of which make these two pieces memorable and a wonderful way to round off a thoroughly enjoyable album.

Track listing:

Sergei Rachmaninoff
01. Prelude in C-sharp minor Op.3, No.2 (3:55)

Frédéric Chopin
02. Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op.posth., No.20 (3:47)
03. Funeral March, third movement from B-flat minor sonata Op.35, No.2 (8:25)

Fredrick Kaufman
04. Partita for a Virus (2:17)

Marta Brankovich
05. Tempest (4:10)

Jan Jirásek
06. Soulmate (11:55)

Fredrick Kaufman
07. The Whole In Parts (11:58)

Clint Mansel
08. Requiem for a Dream (2:57)

Andrew Lloyd Webber,
09. Phantom of the Opera (3:22)

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Darren Rea