Leo by Matteo Ramon Arevalos

Leo by Matteo Ramon Arevalos

As someone who has had the honor of working with Matteo Ramon Arevalos, listening to his new album LEO felt like stepping once more into a realm of sonic wonder—a place where the familiar transforms and the piano becomes not just an instrument, but a world.

Composed in 2019 to mark the five-hundredth anniversary of Leonardo da Vinci’s death, LEO is more than a tribute. It is a dialogue across time—between Matteo and Leonardo, between earth and ether, between the classical and the experimental. Originally written for the theatrical performance LEO, uno sguardo bambino sul mondo, created by Ravenna’s Drammatico Vegetale theater company and directed by Piero Fenati and Elvira Mascalzoni, the music finds new life in this ten-track album, shaped as a journey through the four elements and the eternal childlike curiosity that defined Leonardo.

From the opening notes of Introitus, Matteo’s musical vision is clear: this is no ordinary piano recital. The prepared piano—modified with objects placed on or between the strings—offers a fresh, metallic timbre, evoking the echo of ancient machinery or perhaps the mind of Leonardo himself sketching out fantastical designs. Matteo transforms the piano into an orchestra of textures. He strikes the strings with mallets, plucks them like a harp, and bends their voices into mysterious shapes. This approach is not merely technical—it is deeply poetic.

The second track, Meditating Leonardo Da Vinci, is a moment of stillness: a contemplative ballad of brevity and beauty. Here, we sense Leonardo not as the inventor or master, but as a quiet soul lost in reverie. It’s a portrait in sound, gently lit from within.

From there, we are led into the elemental world: Leo Earth emerges with grounded resonance. Played partly with mallets, it evokes the weight and mystery of soil, roots, and stone. The piano is no longer alone—it is accompanied by subtle textures that add depth to the mood, like shadow to form.

Then comes Leo Child, the heart of the album and, for me, its most luminous gem. It bursts with youthful energy—fast-paced, dazzlingly virtuosic, yet never losing its emotional core. The melody dances with clarity and joy, embodying the boundless spirit of curiosity. Matteo’s performance here is astonishing—technically brilliant, yet tender. I’ve seen him perform live many times, and each time I am left in awe of the clarity and command with which he plays. This track distills that awe into three minutes of sheer magic.

Leo Air drifts into the avant-garde. Strings are plucked and struck, while a slide flute hovers above, airy and ghostlike. The texture is light yet uncanny, as if we’re hearing the sky breathe.

The experimental tone continues with Leo Cosmo, a short meditation in percussive form. The universe is evoked here not through grand gestures but through the careful suggestion of movement—planets turning, stars blinking into being.

Leo Water offers a contrasting stillness. It is a shy piece—subtle, fluid, and constantly in motion, like ripples forming circles on the surface of a lake. The timbral playfulness is still present, but softened, rounded, and reflective.

Leo Fire, the longest track of the album, crackles and surges. Here, the piano becomes flame—wild arpeggios blaze across the keys, colored by harmonic overtones and fierce mechanical interventions. It is a piece of freedom, heat, and transformation.

Est Modus In Rebus brings us back to intimacy. A contemporary ballad, it is thoughtful and melancholic, as if Leonardo were once again sketching—this time, the architecture of his own heart.

The journey ends with Leo Lux Aeterna. Fast-paced and radiant, it strikes a perfect balance between technical brilliance and inner light. In this final offering, Matteo suggests not an ending, but a continuation—Leonardo’s eternal light, refracted through music.

Final Thoughts

With LEO, Matteo Ramon Arevalos does not simply compose music—he sculpts time. Each piece is a window into a world where invention and emotion dance hand in hand. By using the piano as a full orchestra of timbres and textures, he brings Leonardo da Vinci’s insatiable gaze to life—not in portrait, but in motion.

This album is not only a tribute to one of history’s greatest minds, but also a testament to the vision of an artist who sees beyond the keys. Matteo invites us to hear with the ears of a child, to see with the soul of a genius, and to feel with the heart of a poet.

LEO is a remarkable journey—one that breathes, dreams, and burns with quiet brilliance.

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