Emmanuel Despax’s boyhood was spent discussing music and poetry with his poet grandfather, Jacques Charpentreau, over French patisseries. Memories of those perfect moments spent with his beloved relative, listening to Debussy, Poulenc, Ravel, Saint Saëns, has led to Despax’s latest piano release, Après un rêve. Some works are daringly familiar. Debussy’s Clair de Lune, for instance, is…
Tag: Pianist
Karine Hetherington’s music highlights in London and Paris and CD Choice for 2022.
In 2022 it was a joy to be back at the Wigmore Hall, King’s Place, English National Opera, Royal Opera and Opera Holland Park. In February, Royal Opera House offered up an imaginative staging of Handel’s oratorio Theodora. Theodora came with a great cast, featuring the fabulous Joyce DiDonato as Irene and new countertenor, Jakub…
Kosuge’s Electrifying Chopin Wraps up ‘Elements’ Project’
For the past 5 years, pianist Yu Kosuge has created a series of four recordings inspired by the Greek concept of the four elements: Fire, Water, Wind and Earth. Last year her ‘Wind’ album really impressed me with its bird-inspired 18th century music by Daquin,Couperin and Rameau. With her Beethoven, the Tempest Sonata No 2, she really took off. ‘Wind’…
Igor Gryshyn Touches the Divine with his Scriabin Sonata
I discovered German-Ukranian pianist Igor Gryshyn, listening to soprano Olena Tokar sing on her album Charmes. Gryshyn accompanied her and the focus was clearly on the very talented Tokar. Gryshyn’s solo album Transitions has followed and reveals his own brilliance, and love for composers, Viktor Kosenko (1896-1938); his 11 Études to be precise, and the better-known Alexander Scriabin,…
Pianist Siqian Li plays Chopin’s Sonata in B-flat minor and a thrilling new arrangement of Ravel’s Valse
On a blistering hot afternoon in July, pianist, Siqian Li, delivered a spectacular performance of romantic repertoire at St James’s Church, Piccadilly. Chopin’s Sonata No.2, comprising the famous Funeral March, and a new arrangement of Ravel’s Valse, topped the virtuosic bill. Li drew quite a crowd*, even in the heat. Karine Hetherington of ArtMuseLondon went…
The Show Must Go On. Piano Competitions During a Pandemic.
Siqian Li in rehearsal at St James’s Church, Bayswater. Even during a pandemic, one of the world’s premier piano competitions continues. The contestants who have come through for the 2021 Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition can be seen here: https://arims.org.il/competitors-2021/ The final rounds take place in live concert at Tel Aviv between 29th April-3rd May this year….
Clélia Iruzun Plays Camille Saint-Saëns and Henrique Oswald
Piano concertos are dramatic affairs performed live, with virtuoso pianist, conductor and orchestra all adding to the visual spectacle taking place on stage. Concertos are rarely run of the mill – too costly for that. Only the best performers will do. And at the moment, mid-pandemic, deprived of live performances of this nature, we have…
ARTMUSELONDON 