Pianist Rob Hao New Release Palimpsest 571 On Divine Art
Australian pianist Rob Hao has released his debut album Palimpsest 571, on the Divine Art label which explores how music from different times and styles can interact and inspire new ideas.
At the heart of the recording is Hao’s original work after which the album is titled. This piece completes Franz Schubert’s unfinished Piano Sonata in F-sharp minor, D. 571. Rather than trying to emulate Schubert’s style, Hao embraces the gap between past and present, creating a continuation that respects the mood and mystery of the original fragment while adding a fresh, modern voice.
Recorded in Harrow, England in 2025,the album also features a set of piano etudes by British composer Alison Kay, whose minimalist and atmospheric pieces invite listeners to experience sound and silence in new ways. Alongside these contemporary works are carefully curated pieces by Chopin, Schubert, Schubert-Liszt, and Michael Finnissy’s challenging English Country-Tunes.
Chopin’s final Nocturnes Opus 62 showcase his gift for blending long, flowing melodies with delicate harmonies, revealing the emotional depth he reached late in life. Schubert’s Impromptu in A-flat major, op 142 no 2, Der Müller und der Bach (transcribed by Franz Liszt) bring vocal storytelling to the piano, highlighting the instrument’s expressive power.
Finnissy’s English Country-Tunes is a powerful and intense piece that explores English folk traditions with virtuosic energy, moving between moments of lyricism and dramatic intensity.
This mix of works demonstrates how composers and performers continue to build on musical traditions, layering new ideas over old, and keeping classical music vibrant and alive, shaped by both history and the creative present.
