"Classical music is widely mocked as a stuck-up, sissified, intrinsically un-American pursuit".. Alex Ross wrote this in his major summation of music in the 20th Century- The Rest is Noise. This book was partly motivated to change this common prejudice about the classics and to show that this 'difficult' music is not just for an educated elite .
In a similar fashion, London-based pianist James Rhodes is keen to change listeners attitude towards classical composers and make them more accessible to a younger audience raised on MTV.
With long straggly hair, nerdy glasses, drainpipe jeans and T-shirt he wants to change the conventional image of classical performers and makes a point of playing venues more commonly associated with rock bands, like London's Roundhouse and 100 Club.
It is clearly paying dividends because Rhodes has become the first classical musician to be signed by Warner Bros. The label's belief in him in borne out by the fact that he has signed a six record deal and it's not hard to imagine an A & R man's pitch to convince the suits to buy into a piece of this London-based artist. A big selling point is his unconventional background, which is more like that of a rebellious rock and roller.
He was born into a middle class family but had a difficult childhood and was sexually abused at junior school. His passion, for piano gave him solace although he had no formal training. When he was 18, his parents convinced him to turn down a music scholarship and he then passed a lost decade fighting drug and alcohol addiction, attempting suicide and eventually spending time in mental institutions and rehab. It was the birth of his son that prompted him to get his life back on track and resurrect his musical dream.
In 2008 he released his debut album this the deliberately eye-catching title 'Razor Blades, Little Pills and Big Pianos' and more recently has presented a TV series for Sky Arts 2HD called Piano Man. In this show he plays tribute to the music of composers like Beethoven and Chopin and explains how their music has had a deep impact on his own life.
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These two composers also feature on this double CD alongside pieces by Ravel, Moszkowski, Grieg, Alkan, Rachmaninov, Debussy and Brahms. There is nothing obscure or avant-garde about these choices; they are the kind of works that you are likely to hear any day of the week on Classic Fm. Rhodes' mission is not to introduce his audience to new names, but to present them in a fresh way so that they might be seen in a new light.
The seven tracks on each CD are carefully sequenced to compliment each other and tap into a particular state of mind. On the sleeve notes, Rhodes explains that the idea behind the album was "to give you an idea of what it's like to live in my head for 24 hours".
CD1 Bullets presents his showier side containing "fast, furious virtuoso pieces" while CD" Lullabies offers a more reflective mood featuring "gentle, intense, deeply felt works". The first is designed to kick start your day, the second to help you wind down.
It may not be the type of album to appeal to purists, but this lively and accessible album achieves what it sets out to : showcasing a natural and precocious talent whilst doing a valuable job of helping break down musical barriers.
James Rhodes online
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