Franz Liszt: 2 Concert Etudes, S145/R6: No. 1. Waldesrauschen (Forest Murmurs)
Leopold Godowsky: Java Suite: Part III: VIII. The Gardens of Buitenzorg
Sergei Rachmaninov: Siren' (Lilacs), Op. 21, No. 5
Claude Debussy: Préludes, Book 1: No. 5. Les collines d'Anacapri
Luciano Berio: 6 Encores: Erdenklavier
Claude Debussy: Préludes, Book 1: No. 3. Le vent dans la plaine
Charles Griffes: 3 Tone-Pictures, Op. 5: No. 3. The Night Winds
Luciano Berio: 6 Encores: Luftklavier
Jacques Ibert: Le vent dans les ruines (The Wind over the Ruins)
Olivier Messiaen: 8 Préludes: No. 8. Un reflet dans le vent
Claude Debussy: Images, Book 1: No. 1. Reflets dans l'eau
Luciano Berio: 6 Encores: Wasserklavier
Federico Mompou: Paisajes: El lago
Franz Liszt: Années de pèlerinage, 3rd year, S163/R10: No. 4. Les jeux d'eau a la Villa d'Este (The Fountains of the Villa d'Este)
Maurice Ravel: Jeux d'eau
Richard Wagner (arr. Louis Brassin): Die Walküre, Act III: Feuerzauber
Luciano Berio: 6 Encores: Feuerklavier
Claude Debussy: Préludes, Book 2: No. 12. Feux d'artifice
Alexander Scriabin: Vers la flamme, Op. 72
Manuel de Falla: El amor brujo (Love, the Magician): VIII. Danza del ritual del fuego fatuo (Ritual Fire Dance) (piano version)

I usually dislike collections like this because most of the time they contain disparate elements that don't really transition well from one piece to the next, the worst ones being presentations by pianists who insist on sticking a piece by say Stockhausen for example, in the middle of a program featuring works by Mozart and Haydn. The difference is so jarring and incongruous that most listeners will just simply skip over the conflicting track. But fortunately for us, Filipino pianist Albert Tiu here has put together a strong collection of pieces by 13 highly individual composers that mesh well together. And the main factor that really pinions all of these pieces together is that Albert Tiu came up with the idea of a conceptual album that brings together the four classical elements. The first group of five pieces is based on 'Earth', the next five on 'Air', the following set on 'Water', and the final group of five on 'Fire'. In the booklet notes the pianist explains that the inspiration behind this concept came to him following an invitation to play at a series of concerts that were to coincide with an exhibition of Impressionist paintings. And since Impressionism is all about floral lanscapes, wind, water and light, it didn't take long for composers like Debussy, Ravel, Mompou, Scriabin, etc ... to depict elemental forces within their music.

Albert Tiu, born in 1969, has studied music in the Philippines, Hong Kong, Boston and New York, and has won many prizes participating in many prestigious competitions including the Honens piano competition in Canada. His eclecticism spills into his personal life as well as he describes himself, amongst other things, as a hockey fan. The eclectic range of styles within this highly varied recording does not seem to challenge his playing at all. His chameleonic expressive and technical attributes sound just as natural either playing Debussy or de Falla. Like a chef who's planned out a five course meal that pleases the taste buds, Tiu has managed to string together 20 pieces that complement each other. And he's managed to present within this assortment of piano pieces, some that I myself had never heard before, despite my long and labyrinthine background in music. Quite a feat in itself!