Live Review: Le Piano Symphonique (Lucerne)
In a very lively acoustic the Steinway piano was too brittle for this music but Fray coaxed it into subtlety between the moments of frenzy
In a very lively acoustic the Steinway piano was too brittle for this music but Fray coaxed it into subtlety between the moments of frenzy
Cipelli understands the disarming simplicity typifying each piece in the Villageoises suite
These two performances are definitely worth hearing though they won’t be to all tastes
He’s the Peter Sellers of pianists: untameable original if you get on his wavelength, merely wilful if you don’t
A pianist-composer in the grand tradition of past greats, Hamelin channels his thoughts through largely episodic or variation structures
It is when you come to Rachmaninov that Emelyanov’s stature and quality become fully apparent
As a cycle this is rather good, and one I will return to often
It’s easy to hear why Gao wowed the Naumburg jury. The 20-year-old pianist never misses a note
All three works are tailor-made for the pianism of Howard Shelley, his all-round alertness abetted by responsive playing from the Nuremberg Symphony Orchestra
At its best this collection is sufficiently infectious that it’s worth looking past the flaws
Mndoyants sits comfortably in a Russian/Soviet tradition not short of fantastical arrangers – from Rachmaninov to Pletnev and Volodos
A collection that warrants further instalments in due course
There have been some tremendous versions of the Études-tableaux in the past few decades but I would place Levanon’s recording near to the top
Levit brings rare nobility and intensity to 14 of Mendelssohn’s Songs without Words, his individualised selection spanning a period from 1829 to 1844
Featuring outstanding new releases from Behzod Abduraimov, Mark Viner, Peter Donohoe and Katya Apekisheva & Charles Owen
If you are an existing subscriber to Gramophone, Opera Now or Choir & Organ and would like to upgrade, please contact us here or call +44 (0)1722 716997.