Star Fantasy for piano

Alleluia: vidimus stellam|Reimagined in boldly contrasting settings, the Gregorian chant for Epiphany Alleluia: vidimus stellam shines radiantly in Kristina Arakelyans piano transcription of her own Star Fantasy. One of twelve new plainsong-derived organ pieces by women composers commissioned for Anna Lapwoods award-winning anthology Gregoriana, it perfectly adapts for keyboard two hands. In a hushed, distant opening the melody, like the star, is contemplated from afar. Solemn chords and arpeggiando flourishes herald more animated movement, with bravura crosshand work against rapid semiquaver broken chords pushing forward again into a resounding conclusion. Here the chant is broadly proclaimed in rising bass octaves against glittering righthand figuration in F sharp major. The music culminates in the radiant sonority of an added sixth chord, forever identified with the music of Olivier Messiaen as a symbol of spiritual exultation, and likewise chosen by Arakelyan for its joyfully symbolic association.