After studies at the Royal Academy and the Royal Northern College of Music, British pianist Stephen Beville won a scholarship to study at the Staadt Hochschule in Karlsruhe, Germany. During his time there he gave several acclaimed concerts and made studio recordings, a selection of which make up this, his commercial recording debut. Described as ‘one of the most talented young musicians to emerge from the UK’ by Frankfurter Neue Press, his musicianship and deep consideration of his music are well demonstrated. In this 2 CD set the performances of the Beethoven Op. 111 and Schumann’s C major Fantasie are taken from live concerts.
Genre: Piano
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David Jennings – Music for Piano
This is the first album devoted to the wonderfully expressive piano music of David Jennings, all written between 1985 and 2010. This English composer, born in 1972, has a voice which is not afraid to challenge but always within a very traditional soundscape producing modern music ideally representing the growing English new romantic and lyrical tradition. Pianist James Willshire performs in his fine recording debut for Divine Art.
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Russian Piano Music, Vol. 9 – Weinberg I
Mieczyslaw Weinberg (aka Moisey Vainberg) was in fact born and raised in Poland, but the vast majority of his compositional career was in the Soviet Union and he remained there for the rest of his life, in Minsk (now the capital of independent Belarus). He therefore comes well within the definition of ‘Russian’ for the purpose of this series and was certainly treated as such by the authorities. This and the succeeding album (DDA 25107) which includes the remaining three sonatas, were originally released on the now defunct Olympia label but had a relatively short life and restricted distribution, and are still the only full recordings of these very fine works. This is music which though modern is written to comply with Soviet requirements and is thus also very approachable and melodic without ever being trite or unoriginal.
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Antony Hopkins – A Portrait
Antony Hopkins is a phenomenon – a fact which escapes much of the public and even press who still confuse him with the actor (Anthony). Composer, pianist, conductor, broadcaster, lecturer, author … a true man of music. A live wire at the age of 91, (as we write in May 2012), his genius has suffered from fickle fashion, his ‘serious’ music being lyrical and tuneful though certainly deep and complex; his lighter music now seen as ‘period’ – and just ripe for rediscovery. This double album contains much fine music including eight pieces written by top British composers as tributes to Antony. For all interested in the evolution of 20th century music this album will be invaluable, and it’s also made with wit and humour, to suit the character of Hopkins himself.
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Magical Places
Locations can be magical in many ways – musically they can be exotic, inspired by a holiday taken by the composer, expressions of a culture or of nature; here, special places range from England (Britten’s Aldeburgh) to Siberia to North Africa. These evocative symphonic poems for piano duet all express some fascination with locale which have excited a composer and brought about these exquisite and Romantic pieces.
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Tchaikovsky Rare Transcriptions and Paraphrases, Volume 1
As ever, Anthony Goldstone as both pianist and, in some cases, arranger, has produced a startlingly original and vibrant program. Here, music originally written for concert or operatic performance is presented in little known transcriptions, all but one in fact here receiving their first recording. An important and rare addition to the Tchaikovsky canon. Volume 2 contains transcriptions of music from Tchaikovsky’s ballets.
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Hans Gál – The Complete Piano Duos
The music of Austrian composer Hans Gál is being rediscovered and appreciated more and more for its infectious tunefulness and verve, and bears close comparison with the music of Dvorak and the other mid European late Romantics. Here is the first and only recording of his works for piano duo : the album was previously released on Olympia but only weeks before that label’s demise, so it will be new to almost everyone.
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Russian Piano Music Vol. 8 – Mussorgsky
An individual and strongly gifted composer, Mussorgsky was a self-taught amateur who became one of Russia’s foremost 19th century musical figures, tragically dying young. This CD contains ‘alternative’ versions of many pieces to those most commonly heard – including the manuscript version of ‘Pictures’ avoiding the many substantial errors contained in the first edition and perpetuated – and three even earlier drafts, together with unusual versions of some works. Once again Anthony Goldstone provides a phenomenal performance.
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Rainlight – Evocations of Water for Piano Solo
From the gentle to the torrential, water in nature affects, blesses (and afflicts) us in many ways, and composers have been drawn to this theme time and again. Here one of the world’s brightest young pianists, in his first CD for us, pulls together a stunning programme representing little raindrops and fountains to oceans and stormy tempests, and including five very fine and atmospheric new pieces by British-Australian composer Alicia Grant.
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Delicias – Spanish Delights for Piano Duo
Spain, with its location at the southern tip of western Europe, and its exotic history, has developed a unique music tradition, more aligned, through the influence of the Islamic Moorish period, with the middle east than with the more northern parts of Europe. This cultural uniqueness has attracted hosts of non-Spanish composers to write ‘Spanish’ pieces many of which have become staples of the repertoire. This programme includes some favourites – but in unfamiliar guise – and some wonderful and little known gems too. Full of zest, fire and ‘soul’. Several premiere recordings.
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Russian Piano Music, Vol. 7 – Prokofiev
This album is taken from live performances in England between 2000 and 2005 by Russian pianist Sergei Dukachev and includes the Second and Seventh Sonatas, Visions Fugitives, and extracts from the composer’s piano transcription of ‘Romeo and Juliet’. Dukachev is gaining an enthusiastic following in the UK as well as in his native Russia, and the brilliance of these concert performances demonstrates why.
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Russian Piano Music, vol. 6 – Rachmaninov
Our acclaimed series continues with one of the acknowledged masters of Romantic music, Sergei Rachmaninov. This album is taken from live performances in England between 1999 and 2005 by Russian pianist Sergei Dukachev and includes some favourite Preludes and Etudes, the Second Sonata and the relatively rarely-heard Variations. Dukachev is gaining an enthusiastic following in the UK as well as in his native Russia, and the brilliance of these concert performances demonstrates why.