First recordings of two significant works, "Valse Boston" (composed in 1996) and "Diplipito" (composed in 1997), have been released. In both pieces, Kancheli's ongoing tendency to simplify his musical language, stripping away all excess from his compositions and sharpening focus for maximum emotional impact is evident.
Don't let the unassuming title fool you: Giya Kancheli's "Valse Boston" is an explosive piece of music. This secular prayer oscillates between extreme contrasts in dynamics, tempo, and mood. One moment the piano drives the strings toward angry, piercing dissonances, the next the orchestra is soothed by small, deceptively cheerful waltz fragments. No one can create such oppressive soundscapes as Kancheli. Yet his dark, strongly Eastern-influenced interpretation of modern life leaves a cathartic effect. — John von Rhein, Chicago Tribune