This eminent trio of highest European standard creates an organic unity of highly elaborate compositions and improvisations which is rarely to find. Most of the pieces are composed by the former Kurtág disciple, István Kovács Tickmayer, who, besides the piano, does the same magic on any other keyboard instrument, if the piece needs it. In the fabrics of the sophisticated compositions, built on elegantly combined contrasts and clashing of musical instruments, harmonies, sounds and structures, hides inseparably the fertilizing power from the spontaneity of improvisation. Whether they are short pieces of sound blast, or slow-develepoing compositions, the immense freedom of the three great musicians’ playing sublimates them into a unit of higher order, a piece of ART.

“Stevan Kovacs Tickmayer moves easily between improvised and notated music and here plays piano, prepared piano, harmonium and keyboards, with the Trió Kontraszt – an apt name – filled out by Grencsó and Miklós. Tickmayer’s keyboard ambidexterity is on display throughout as he moves from one instrument to another with equal suppleness. The forward motion that marks “Memorial”, for instance, may be sombre but it also serves as a showcase. Clean reed blowing and percussion rattles are seconded by harpsichord-like resonations from prepared piano, which return in a more irregular fashion to restate the theme nearly buried by a mid-section in which Tickmayer’s flashy organ attack is more reminiscent of Keith Emerson than any Jazz or so-called classical antecedents. On the other hand, the foot-tapper that is “De Ira” relates to classic swing with bent piano notes matched with rugged drum back beats and a reed tone from Grencsó that that would be funky enough to get him American roadhouse work. Demonstrating that all three are musical quick-change artists, the piece concludes with Grencsó scrubbing his tone clean as Tickmayer’s keyboard smacks soften so that he’s propelling a pliable chord structure during the penultimate moments, leading to a finale that’s as quiet and pastoral as the introductory sequence was loud and funky.” Ken Waxman, about the trio's last album, From Dyonisian Sound Sparks to the Silence of Passing, released on BMC Records