For people who are wondering who Csaba Vedres is, I will explain it one more time. Csaba Vedres was the pianist/composer and founder of the Hungarian group After Crying and recorded the first three albums with them (“Megalázottak és megszomorítottak” -1992, “Overground music” – 1993 and “Föld és ég” -1994). If you listen to those albums you will find his spirit shinning thru the compositions. After leaving the band he recorded the wonderful album “Nagyvárosi ikonok” (1997) under the name Townscream. Since then he is concentrating on his solo career as pianist. After releasing five albums, editor and “big man” behind Periferic Records Gergely Böszörményi found the time to select his personal favourite Vedres compositions (that explains the subtitle “The editor’s favourites”).
Personally I’m not fond of compilation CD’s. But this CD is different and has extra value because there is also unreleased Vedres material on this disk. Ten short piano works under the name of “List of free ideas” are the central compositions of this compilation. They didn’t fit to any of his former CD’s. The atmosphere of the whole CD is one of melancholy. When Csaba Vedres listened to this selection he made the remark that Gergely succeeded in selecting the saddest 70 minutes of the “Vedres life-work”. But Vedres music is also romantic, brilliant and overflowing with intense beauty.
Instead of reviewing each track I will give you a listing of the selected works. From “Mesék, levelek” (Tales, letters) you can find “Levelek III”, “Levelek V”, “Levelek VII”, “Mesék I”, “Mesék III” and “Mesék VI”. From “Mire megvirrad” (By the break of dawn) you hear; “Esõ” (Rain), “Misericordia”, “Szelid szél” (Gentle breeze), “Ahoi!” (Ahoy!), “Tánc” (Dance) and “Elmenõben” (Departing). From “Lélektánc” (Dance of spirit) there are; “Lélektánc” and “Improvizációk” (Improvisations). From “Ephata 1.-Tortured & Formatted” you find; “Micsoda csend” (What a still), “Sivatagi hajnal” (Desert blue dawn) and “Merre az út?” (What’s the way?). And from “Zongorazene” (Music for piano); “Hívó jel” (Calling signal) / “Cisz-dór koncertetűd” (C-sharp-dorian Concert etude), “G-dúr szkepszis” (G major Skepticism) and “Fekete hangulat” (Black mood).
The titles of the compositions already indicate that you can expect classical orientated piano music. In some tracks your hear flute, violin, organ, synthesizer or trumpet. But the piano of Vedres is the main instrument. Csaba Vedres is one of best pianists in the world. His compositions are classical and contemporary at the same time. For me the compositions of Vedres stand for craftsmanship, sensitivity and immense beauty.

Douwe Fledderus