Suite à l'ancienne (Suite in the old style): Piano

Hamelin has created a work that respects the architecture and voice-leading of Baroque form while injecting it with contemporary harmonic language and sheer pianistic bravura. Every movement balances structural clarity with moments of witty surprise, making this suite both intellectually engaging and genuinely exciting to perform. The commission story itself (born from Kudo's Gilmore Award and her suggestion to build on Bach) speaks to how living composers can honor tradition while creating something entirely their own.

A time-traveling journey through Baroque form with a composer's eye for irony and modern sensibility. The suite moves from restless, fragmentary invention to dance-like grounding, each movement distinct in character yet unified by Hamelin's signature harmonic language and the threads of Bach that run beneath the surface.

Advanced pianists preparing competition repertoire, recital programs, or contemporary chamber partnerships will find Suite à l'ancienne both rewarding and substantial. The work demands secure technical facility (particularly in rapid passagework and multi-voice control) alongside interpretive maturity in handling historical allusion and twentieth-century harmony.

• Treat the Praeludium as a study in textural differentiation; the Bach reference should anchor the passage work rather than overwhelm it, allowing listeners to hear both the homage and Hamelin's departure from it.
• In the Allemande, resist the temptation to rush despite its "amiable" character; the rhythmic freedom of Baroque dance movement requires a secure sense of pulse underneath apparent ease.
• Approach the Corrente's perpetual-motion figuration with attention to finger legato and consistent tone production; clarity of line will reveal harmonic motion that could otherwise blur at tempo.
• The Air avec agréments invites ornamentation and rubato in the spirit of French Baroque keyboard music; use the written embellishments as a departure point rather than a boundary.
• Balance the staccato gavotte figures against the pedal resonance of the Musette section with precision; the textural contrast drives the musical argument.

This work shines as a substantial solo recital centerpiece, particularly on programs that pair contemporary music with historical exploration; its length (approximately 16 minutes) allows it to anchor a set or serve as an intermission piece. It also functions well in contemporary music festivals or competitions where competitors seek demanding, substantial solo works that showcase both virtuosity and musical intelligence.

• Reading complex contemporary notation and harmonic language rooted in Baroque form
• Executing rapid passagework and moto perpetuo figuration with clarity and rhythmic precision
• Interpreting written ornamentation and rhetorical gestures in a Baroque style through a modern compositional lens
• Managing textural contrasts between staccato articulation and sustained pedal resonance
• Sustaining musical architecture across movements of contrasting character and tempo