Simone Dinnerstein, The Eye is the First Circle Review

by Adorjan Horvát

Simone Dinnerstein has long been celebrated as an influential figure in contemporary classical piano, known for her imaginative and boundary-pushing interpretations. From her acclaimed debut recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations to her explorations of American modernist repertoire, Dinnerstein has consistently embraced creative risk-taking and interdisciplinary artistry. Her latest project, The Eye is the First Circle, is an ambitious live recording that combines the visionary compositions of Charles Ives with her father Simon Dinnerstein’s painting, The Fulbright Triptych. Released on October 18, 2024, by Supertrain Records and coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Ives’ birth, this album features Dinnerstein’s multimedia production of the Concord Sonata. Inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay “Circles,” the performance is an exploration of identity, creativity, and the never-ending journey of artistic becoming.

The Eye is the First Circle transcends the traditional concert experience by integrating visual, auditory, and philosophical dimensions. It is a compelling marriage of music and visual art—a captivating blend of Ives’ Concord Sonata and Simon Dinnerstein’s The Fulbright Triptych; both share a thematic resonance in their exploration of identity, memory and the layering of experience. The emotional textures of Ives’ music, filled with nostalgia and dissonance, parallel the layered imagery of The Fulbright Triptych, which evokes a sense of history, familial bonds, and the passage of time. With Laurie Olinder’s projection design and Davison Scandrett’s lighting, Dinnerstein creates a concert experience that is visually immersive and amplifies the music’s emotional impact. The stage is transformed into a canvas on which Simon Dinnerstein’s iconic imagery is brought to life, dynamically shifting alongside the intricate layers of Ives’ score. This collaboration allows audiences to interact with the music on a deeper level, with each projected visual acting as a reflection of the underlying themes and ideas.

Dinnerstein’s performance of the Concord Sonata is technically brilliant with her deft navigation of Ives’ complex rhythms, dissonant harmonies, and intricate dynamics. Combining music, visual art, and philosophical inquiry makes this a multisensory experience, challenging the traditional boundaries of classical music performance. When shifting focus to the auditory experience alone, Dinnerstein manages to create an atmosphere that feels simultaneously intimate and expansive, inviting the listener to engage with the music’s emotional core and explore its thematic and philosophical intricacies. Since I have only experienced the auditory aspect of this performance, my impressions focus on the purely musical experience.

Dinnerstein’s mastery of the Concord Sonata shines through in her ability to navigate the layered complexity of Ives’ composition. Ives’ music is a transcendent exploration of American identity and philosophy, and Dinnerstein manages to convey the very essence of this vision. Her performance evokes the sense of evolution and transformation central to Ives and Emerson’s ideas—an acknowledgment of the past, a confrontation with the present, and an anticipation of future possibilities. Her performances in the four movements reflect an exploration of identity as something fluid, something constantly redefined by experience and imagination. Dinnerstein’s sensitive connection to Ives’ music allows her to shape our auditory journey to reflect this fluidity.

The opening movement, “Emerson,” inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson, reflects the transcendentalist philosophy of boundless intellectual exploration. Dinnerstein expresses this expansiveness through bold, dynamic shifts and fluid, rhythmic freedom that captures the spirit of exploration inherent in Emerson’s writings. Her phrasing breathes life into Ives’ chromatic lines, drawing out a sense of intellectual curiosity and emotional resonance. Dinnerstein’s interpretation reveals her understanding of the underlying philosophical themes, balancing the polyrhythmic complexities with a precise, coherent pulse that allows the listener to experience the sense of wonder that Emerson’s ideas evoke.

“Hawthorne,” this movement opens with ambient sounds—crickets chirping, an owl hooting—immediately drawing the listener into a natural and somewhat mysterious world. Dinnerstein’s tone on the piano here is precise yet evocative, capturing Nathaniel Hawthorne’s literature’s shadowy, Gothic atmosphere. The intricate counterpoint and dynamic contrasts are masterfully handled, with Dinnerstein bringing out the playful qualities of the music and its underlying tensions. Her pedal control to shape the piano’s resonance is particularly notable, as she uses pedal techniques to sustain and shape the sound without allowing it to become muddled, preserving the clarity of Ives’ shifting harmonic interactions. The hymn-like figures in the middle section starkly contrast with the more dissonant harmonic movements, creating a sense of unease that mirrors the psychological depth in Hawthorne’s stories.

“The Alcotts”: This movement is inspired by Bronson and Louisa May Alcott. It is often regarded as one of the more challenging sections for a pianist in terms of technical clarity and emotional nuance. Dinnerstein excels in both areas, crafting phrases that feel natural and forward-moving. Ives’ quotations from Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony are seamlessly integrated, bridging the classical tradition and Ives’ modernist vision. Dinnerstein’s range of articulations and touch on the piano, from gentle to powerful, is expertly executed, allowing her to communicate both the tenderness of the Alcotts’ familial bonds and the broader philosophical ideals that underpinned their lives.

“Thoreau”: The final movement, dedicated to Henry David Thoreau, is a demanding journey where Dinnerstein leads us into the wilderness of Thoreau’s mind, navigating the complex rhythmic structures and dissonant harmonies that characterize Ives’ depiction of the natural world. Her expressive use of dynamics and articulation captures the essence of Thoreau’s introspective nature. There is a meditative quality to Dinnerstein’s playing, as she draws out the subtleties of Ives’ writing, allowing the music to ebb and flow like the natural rhythms of a forest, even in the most intense moments. Her interpretation of the dissonances and rhythmic complexities invites the listener to contemplate the relationship between humanity and nature—a relationship that Thoreau so passionately explored.

Dinnerstein’s decision to blend music, visual art, and philosophical inquiry is a testament to her bold, interdisciplinary vision. By collaborating with Laurie Olinder and Davison Scandrett, Dinnerstein has created an experience that feels less like a recital and more like an artistic journey. Emerson’s essay “Circles,” adds us to focus our philosophical framing of the music in The Eye is the First Circle. Dinnerstein’s interpretation of the Concord Sonata explores her identity, influenced by her father’s painting, her engagement with Ives’ challenging music, and her fascination with Emerson’s writings. This sense of becoming, of constantly drawing “new circles,” resonates throughout the performance, inviting the listener to consider their own circles of self-discovery.

The Eye is the First Circle is an artistic statement that successfully explores the edges of what is possible in the world of classical performance. Simone Dinnerstein has crafted an experience that speaks to the fluidity of identity, the power of artistic influence, and the boundless potential of creative expression through her connection to Ives’ Concord Sonata, her father’s artwork, and Emerson’s philosophical musings. The thematic interconnections between music, visual art, and philosophy invite the listener to draw their own evolving circles, reflecting on the influences and experiences that shape their lives. That’s the short of it!

Connect with Simone Dinnerstein: Website |