Trois Hommages (1972) [piano solo]
— Helps‘ most popular trilogy and one of his most recorded works.
The first two
hommages (à
Fauré, à Rachmaninoff) elaborate the luscious pianism and nostalgic harmonies characteristic of the composers they salute.
Then,
Hommage à Ravel surprisingly cleaves the set, offering one of Helps‘ most strikingly original works.
Three strictly measured themes are presented in increasing elaboration; then finally, simultaneously — a work of enduring fascination.
A student of Ravel remarked that it shares the “same sense of doom” as the early twentieth century
maître.