ClassicsToday gives Kirsten Johnson’s new release Arthur Foote: Complete Piano Music, a 10/10 for Artistic Quality and a 10/10 for Sound Quality, and names Foote as “An Unsung American Master.”
“Where has this delightful, well-crafted, thoroughly idiomatic, tuneful (though harmonically conservative), and unpretentious piano music been for the past century? Listen to any piece at random, blindfolded, and you’ll agree, although you’ll be hard-pressed to identify the composer. Unknown Brahms? Meatier than usual Mendelssohn? Or Richard Strauss as a prodigious teenager? Not Schumann—the piano writing is not crazy enough—but there’s that same rumbling energy…
“In contrast to his larger, more substantial chamber and orchestral works, Foote’s piano output entirely consists of salon-like miniatures or groups of short pieces that either can be performed integrally or as excerpts. Because most of these works have been out of print for decades, pianist and longtime keyboard rarity advocate Kirsten Johnson had to do considerable detective work in order to obtain the scores. More importantly, she appears to have put in comparable practice hours, borne out by her consistently sonorous virtuosity and tasteful musicianship, abetted by a first-rate Steinway grand and an appropriately resonant yet never muddy recording venue. A major addition to the catalog.” — Jed Distler, ClassicsToday
Find the full rave review on ClassicsToday.com!
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