Inspired Music: "Fantasia, the Lightning Sonata" by Tony Cicoria, and "Three Tributes" from the Freeman Brothers

Sometimes inspiration comes like a bolt from the blue.
On this edition of Watching America, we hear the story of “acquired savant” Tony Cicoria, who became musically inspired after being struck by lightning. His story was was brought to public attention in the book, “Musicophilia: Tales of Music and the Brain,” by Oliver Sacks.

We hear another inspirational musical tale from brothers James and Robert Freeman. They are musicians who come from a notably musical family. To honor their parents, the Freeman brothers commissioned 3 compositions to honor their parents, Henry and Florence Knope Freeman.
The CD is titled “Three Tributes,” and the music is composed by Kevin Puts, Andrea Clearfield, and Gunther Schuller.

You can find Cicoria’s “Notes From an Accidental Pianist,” which includes “Fantasia, the Lightning Sonata,” at https://music.apple.com/us/album/notes-from-an-accidental-pianist-and-composer/295902083

You can find “Three Tributes” at
https://www.innova.mu/albums/james-and-robert-freeman/three-tributes