Distant Figure for solo piano is a mesmerising passacaglia—a piece, in other words, that explores its emotional heights and depths over a basic harmonic pattern. Philip Glass wrote Distant Figure for Anton Batagov, who performs it here on a beautifully resonant Bösendorfer. Glass’ opening bars of just two undulating notes mirror the beautiful simplicity of his etudes—and like those works, also recorded by Batagtov, Glass achieves the most delicate, breathtaking crescendos through the subtlest of changes, often altering just one note or chord at a time. He is a compelling dramatist, with Batagov his most devoted and brilliant player.