Alessio Elia: Celestial Keys

Alessio Elia’s (b.1979) compositions are inspired by the acoustic nature of the sounding universe, its inner laws. Perhaps this is why, from the first moment of listening, these works feel organic natural and euphonic but also ordered, planned and clear.

The composition Celestial Keys, which lends its name to the whole album, does not claim to reveal universal truths in any sense, nor does it attempt to unlock a magic box containing deep secrets. As with the other works on the programme, Elia aims to demonstrate that the world is perhaps wider for perception than for reason.

He reveals that each of these compositions represents ‘an exploration of other dimensions.
In Luminescences, we encounter the phenomenon of light; in Disappearing Rainbows, we explore the residual traces of colours. Dimensioni nascoste delves into the extra, hidden dimensions of string theory. Implicate Inklings unveils the implicate order of the holographic theory of the universe. Finally, Celestial keys transports us to the realm of angels and the supernatural.’

Several of these works feature Elia’s signature compositional approach: Polysystemism, which involves the simultaneous use of different tuning systems.

Other information:
Recordings date from August 2005 (Siena), September 2013, October 2015, May 2019 and November 2023 (Budapest).
All works are given in their First Recordings.
Booklet in English contains liner notes by Szabolcs Molnár, profiles of the composer, the conductors, the soloists, the orchestras and ensembles, as wel as the sung text for Celestial keys.

- Alessio Elia is an Italian composer, born in 1979. Described as unicum in the compositional landscape of our times (Il Corriere Musicale) Alessio Elia has gained international recognition thanks to his Polysystemism, the simultaneous use of different tuning systems, discussed in many conferences and lectures, among them the one at “Centre de documentation de la musique contemporaine” of the Cité de la Musique in Paris. Articles and essays on Polysystemism have been published by von Bockel Verlag, l’Université de Strasbourg, the Hungarian Academy of Arts, and the University of Prague.
- Elia has received commissions from internationally renowned orchestras, ensembles, festivals, and institutions, such as I Solisti del Teatro alla Scala di Milano, Radio Bartók, Ligeti 100 Festival in Budapest, Oggimusica Festival, Chamber Ensemble UMZE, Antal Doráti International Conducting Competition, Stuttgart Kammerchor, Alter Ego Ensemble, and Festival di Nuova Consonanza.
- His music has been performed, broadcasted and presented by illustrious institutions worldwide and published by Universal Edition Wien, and Universal Music Publishing – Editio Musica Budapest.
- This new recording presents orchestral works by Alessio Elia: Disappearing Rainbows, Dimensioni Nascoste, a Clarinet Concerto, Luminescences and Celestial Keys: fascinating music of great beauty!
- Performed by Concerto Budapest (Zoltán Rácz), National Hungarian Radio Orchestra (Gergely Vajda), Concerto Budapest Ligeti Ensemble (László Tihanyi), and Chigiana Academy Ensemble (Mauro Bonifacio).