Firstly and importantly I am indebted to The Blue Moment for an article written about this release. I was oblivious to its existence until reading the piece. Richard Williams points out and I couldn’t agree more that Io Pur Respiro is a “highly original and truly outstanding album.”
Its title and inspiration is drawn from a madrigal by 17th-century composer Carlo Gesualdo. As Williams relates it was recorded live in Florence during a 2024 European tour. The sound is very good and that’s even bearing in mind the flaws because of some noise emanating from the audience that crept in unbidden. Some producers would have chosen to filter out these in post production. Wisely that decision wasn’t taken.
Alongside readings of Billy Strayhorn’s ‘Love Came’ – the bit of audience noise (a splutter of what sounds like stifled coughing at 6’41” and sneeze at 7’25” are annoying but not fatal) – and Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II’s ‘I Have the Room Above Her,’ Stemeseder’s original compositions showcase the pair’s exceptional rapport, balancing harmonic sophistication, rhythmic invention and finely judged restraint. ‘On the Euclidian Plane’ I’m less keen on. But nevertheless I applaud the freedom principle it eventually explores.
The only work of spinet and harpsichord loving Salzburg born Stemeseder’s I know has even more freedom in mind. What I am referring to is the avant-garde ‘Anthropcene‘ drawn from Piano Solo. Even more to my taste than that is The Constant that he’s on with Jim Black and Morgan. And yet Io Pur Respiro is a new high water mark.
Perhaps it was the ancient setting and staggering beauty of Florence that also inspired the pair so very much. Beyond speculation some special force was clearly at work whatever the internal source. Because the outcome is so lifted up and full of light and consummate grace.
