Baldassare Galuppi Piano Sonatas Volume 4 Shop Now

The Chronicle

You could review this CD in two words: “nice piano”, maybe. Or “piano brainwash” if you wanted to be more new age-y about it. It’s a CD that’s impossible to dislike; it’s here to entertain and not be heavy or deep, and its purity does wonders for an over-busy brain. Seivewright plays with simplicity and grace, and it all bobbles along nicely. (Bobbles along, musical term, honest). The music has got real charm and Seivewright sounds like he enjoys playing it. The sleeve notes talk about the “easy and mellifluous expansiveness” of the first piece, (“foreshadowing Romantic as well as Classical styles”, too). The second piece provokes extensive sleeve notes about the key of D minor but towards the end a comment on a “spirit of great joyousness”, which is all you need to know, unless you’re big fan of the “ancient” key, the tonic note of the Dorian mode, as we all know. And so on. For the non-academic piano lover, it’s a charming CD of lovely music that equally suits quiet, late night listening, an early morning wake-up or for contemplation during the day. Academics can still enjoy it, and get the learned sleeve notes as a bonus.

—Jeremy Condliffe

@divineartrecordingsgroup

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On 10 October, Métier is thrilled to present Michael Finnissy: Organ Works from acclaimed American organist Forrest Eimold! Don't miss Paul Hindmarsh's marvelous new piece in Classical Music Magazine on the importance of Britain's Brass Bands. A great primer for our new release, Discovering Wilfred Heaton! 3️⃣ Tracks from the 3 October release, Discovering Wilfred Heaton, are #nowplaying on Apple Music Classical and more! Don't miss both of our new Métier new releases on Deezer's New Classical Picks Playlist! ▶️ Listen now in our bio link. Today, Métier presents a “monumental” (The Wire) 4-disc box set from pianist Ian Pace in commanding performances of music by composer Michael Finnissy (b. 1946). On all platforms today at listn.fm/finnissypiano Métier Records is thrilled to release “Because They Have Songs” from composer Edward Cowie and featuring Gerard McChrystal and Richard Shaw! Out now on all platforms ▶️ listn.fm/becausetheyhavesongs “This monumental piano release features Michael Finnissy’s Verdi Transcriptions plus English Country-Tunes, and other compositions inspired by 19th century music. Soloist Ian Pace is a leading interpreter of Finnissy’s work, and has played his complete output for piano. Finnissy’s output is prolific, political and complex – he’s a leading late modernist.… luxuriant but challenging textures of the school often called new complexity.” —Andy Hamilton, The Wire Marvelous new MusicWeb International review for Edward Cowie: Because They Have Songs, before its release this Friday! “Buller is a composer who knows how to imbue feelings with ample warmth, colour and tension that keep the ear immersed in his sonic worlds. The musical language is largely tonal, with some roots in sacred choral traditions, yet with sufficient harmonic pungency to provide underpinnings of meaning to Leah Lax’s empathetic, urgent texts in the two extended works.… Conspirare, led by founding Artistic Director Craig Hella Johnson, respond to all of Buller’s emotional gestures with utmost cohesion and flexibility, and the soloists – basses Michael Hawes and Simon Barrad and soprano Emily Yocum Black – are first-rate.” —Donald Rosenberg, @gramophonemagazine “This performance will stay with me for a long time; it is both exquisitely beautiful and inherently melancholic.” —Edward Breen, Gramophone on Haitham Haidar's #Zaytoun