The arc of the record was formed around a traditional piano recital and the sense of sonic journey McArthur tried to infuse into that concert experience.  

Similar to his late 90’s recitals, it opens with a centering moment – in this case, a commitment to melody through the timelessness of Bach.

This is followed by a hummable excerpt from an Offenbach opera, rendered for the piano by Moszkowski...with an ending that does come to rest, but also seems to beckon the listener onward.

"Onward," is to a fragrant stroll through Rachmaninoff's Lilacs - the composer's transcendent transcription of his own song, for the piano - light, like the flower, with elegant ephemeral beauty and grace.

The subtlety of Rachmaninoff is further celebrated with his delicate - and slightly haunting - transcription of Tchaikovsky’s Lullaby.

The dramatic and virtuosic apex of the record is McArthur’s performance of Liszt's Funerailles. This is an epic journey of a piece that calls forth much from both the performer and an attentive audience (...but has enough fireworks to awaken the focus of anyone whose eyelids were lulled by the piece that preceded it).

This look backwards in the canon is followed by three luminous transcriptions by Earl Wild, as a warm reverential nod to the compositional genius of McArthur's pianistic mentor.

The closing gestures of the program are two much loved pieces from classical piano canon - Liszt’s expansive transcription of Schumann’s Widmung and Rachmaninoff’s treatment of Kreisler’s Liebesleid.

The record was released to positive reviews, enthusiastic engagement from classical radio stations, and a growing audience across the US, Europe, and Japan.

Then, suddenly and quietly, life changed for John McArthur, when his mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.