Robert Lemay’s pieces are committedly cerebral, meticulously crafted, and heart stoppingly inventive. The works presented on AERIS ET SPIRITUS (“copper and breath”) are no exception. Even the mystic-sounding title is grounded in deeper meaning, reflecting the pieces’ unconventional instrumentation: solo piano with either trumpet, trombone, tuba, or horn. With such an audacious concept, cohesion is vital. Lemay aims to balance the instruments in such a way that they fuse rather than contrast. The resulting impression of tight-knit intimacy is further intensified by the fact that the pianist, Yoko Hirota, is Lemay’s wife, who plays with remarkable sensitivity and understanding. As usual, Lemay pushes the envelope; it works because all pieces are in their rightful place.