Green, working alongside the formidable Italian pianist Irene Veneziano and the Archimia string quartet, has fashioned something that sits uncomfortably—and often rewardingly—between classical orthodoxy and pop sensibility. The piece forms the final movement of what the composer describes as a musical trilogy, and there's an undeniable sense of narrative completion here, a satisfying resolution to themes that have clearly been gestating across multiple releases.

Veneziano's contribution cannot be understated. Her classical pedigree—seventy awards across a decade of international competition—provides the piece with its architectural backbone, her playing possessing that particular Italian clarity that recalls the great tradition of Pollini and Michelangeli. Yet she demonstrates remarkable adaptability in accommodating Green's more populist impulses, never condescending to the material but rather elevating it through sheer technical authority.

The Archimia quartet, fresh from their collaborations with established Italian songwriters, brings a pleasing elasticity to the string arrangements. There's a cinematic quality to their playing that suggests they understand the visual nature of Green's conceptual framework—this is music that paints in broad strokes, unafraid of emotional directness.

Green's compositional philosophy—his meditation on the "natural circle" of birth and death—could easily have devolved into new-age platitudes. Instead, there's a genuine gravitas to the work, a sense that the composer has wrestled with these eternal themes and emerged with something genuinely felt rather than merely calculated. The piece unfolds with a patience that suggests real confidence in its material, allowing ideas to develop organically rather than forcing dramatic gestures.

The production, handled at Piacenza's Elfo Studio, serves the music well. The clarity of the recording allows each instrumental voice to register distinctly while maintaining the ensemble's cohesion. There's a warmth to the acoustic that suggests careful attention to the physical space, something often overlooked in contemporary classical recordings.

Green has created something that feels both timeless and contemporary, rooted in classical tradition yet unafraid to acknowledge the musical world beyond the concert hall. "Natural Circle" succeeds because it wears its influences lightly, neither betraying its classical foundations nor pandering to commercial expectations.

Released: March 1, 2024

Label: Independent

Featuring: Irene Veneziano (piano), Archimia String Quartet