Fazıl Say Essentials

This skilled Turkish pianist/composer manages the rare feat of being both a classicist and an innovator. Say's performances of the classical repertoire show mastery of inherited forms, while his original compositions—whether symphonic or chamber-scale—display his unique approach to cultural synthesis. (He can offer up a jazzy flair at the piano, too.) The skill that unites these discrete sides of his craft is Say's talent for presenting melodic lines, a strength that's clear whether he's playing Haydn or one of his own pieces.