Notes:

Virgil Thomson was not the first to compose musical portraits, but his are singular in that they were drawn from life. Gertrude Stein did this in literature and Thomson, ever her disciple, aspired to do so in music; the “model” would sit for their portrait, and the score page would become a canvas.

These discs feature 70 of the 110 portraits for solo piano–representing the largest collection of these piano portraits ever recorded by one artist–brought to life by Craig Rutenberg, distinguished pianist, friend, and colleague of Mr. Thomson.

Reviews

"There are sentimental melodies, often hinting at familiar hymns and folk tunes, military fanfares and marches, merry-go-round music and playful dances, many spiced with puckish 'wrong notes.' ... Five selections from Thomson’s ballet Filling Station evoke vigorous work-songs, while the four-piece Suite from the film The Plow that Broke the Plains features Cowboy Songs and Blues, adding to this collection’s significance." – Michael Schulman, The WholeNote. Read the full review here.

Sample Tracks