Philanthropy

Volker Bertelmanns career as a composer for film and television skyrocketed in the 2020s as he garnered accolades including the Academy and BAFTA Awards for his score to 2022s All Quiet on the Western Front, but Philanthropy proves his work as Hauschka is still thriving. Appearing four years after A Different Forest found him stepping away from the prepared piano in favor of soothing, thoughtful pieces performed on a pure piano, Philanthropy evokes its predecessor on poignant pieces like "Limitation of Lifetime" and "Loved Ones." More often, though, the album takes a wider, more varied perspective as Hauschka interprets big-picture concepts and virtues in his detailed style. Its a pleasure to hear him reunited with the prepared piano on "Diversity," which fizzes with counterpoint so dizzying that it recalls the player pianos he used on the similarly whimsical What If. Here and on "Inventions" -- which also calls to mind his wry take on dance music, Salon des Amateurs -- Bertelmann presents the most typical version of Hauschkas sound (if there can be such a thing). Likewise, "Searching"s plunging synths and wandering melody conjure visions of feeling around for something just out of reach, and the mix of precision and wonder within "Science" fits its subject to a T. However, Philanthropys standout moments often defy convention. The warmth "Magnanimity" exudes is tender, not showy, suggesting that kindness that doesnt call attention to itself is the most genuine. Hauschka makes seemingly similar concepts distinct on Philanthropy, using dubby, ricocheting percussion and a jazzy melody to describe "Generosity" and prickling rhythms to animate "Altruism" (these two pieces are all that remains of a collaboration with Mum drummer Samuli Kosminen that the COVID-19 global pandemic sadly cut short). Most intriguing of all might be "Noise." A piece initially intended for the All Quiet on the Western Front score, its spectral blur of brass, electronics, and piano stands apart from the intricate sounds on the rest of the album but reflects Bertelmanns expressive approach just as clearly. In much the same way, Philanthropy captures the discipline and creativity that make Hauschka a singular project and Bertelmann a sought-after composer. This is music that gives listeners ears and minds a workout, and it should delight longtime Hauschka fans as well as those won over by Bertelmanns scores. ~ Heather Phares