Search - Ferruccio Busoni, Frederic Chopin, Leopold Godowsky :: David Stanhope Plays

Great performances on a superb instrument

Michael Whincop | GRIFFITH UNIVERSITY, QLD AUSTRALIA | 11/19/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"David Stanhope is a conductor, composer, and sometime pianist. It seems a little counterintuitive that someone so obviously occupied with other matters would choose to record a disk of some of the heaviest knucklecrunchers in the repertoire. But make no mistake -- the performances are hardly those of a part-time pianist. This release features a recording on the fascinating Stuart piano, designed by Australian Wayne Stuart. The Stuart's timbre is immediately distinctive -- the sound is light, but satisfyingly full-bodied, giving an exemplary clarity to this densely detailed music.The disk opens with what may be one of the best performances of the Bach-Busoni St Anne ever recorded. Stanhope's performance has an exciting drive to it -- differentiating it from Demidenko's somewhat ponderous version -- but it never sounds rushed as Geoffrey Madge's does in his Dante release. The Stuart really suits this work; one hears, for example, the trills in the prelude that are often obscured. We then are indulged with a selection of Godowsky's Studies on the Chopin Etudes, each of which is prefaced with the Chopin original. These are rendered with style and aplomb and, once again, the piano sounds great. Following is the huge Godowsky Passacaglia. Stanhope, both in his performance and his notes, makes light of its fearsome reputation, breasting its big challenges and closing with weighty, sonorous chords. The disk closes with the Beethoven-Liszt Symphony No. 8. As Stanhope points out in his notes, conducting tradition often causes some of the tempi in this work to be a bit slack, especially in the first movement. He makes his point tellingly with a thrilling first movement, and backs up to do the same in the finale -- while missing none of the inner movements' wit or charm. This is a very enjoyable disk. I invite you to listen to it, and then call Tall Poppies and urge them to commission another disk from this fascinating musician."

A great new piano played by a lesser known master

Aceto | Meilhan Sur Garonne | 12/30/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I wish David Stanhope were as well known as the man who bought the first of these monster pianos, Rowen Atkinson, a.k.a. Mr. Bean, alias Black Adder. This 2.9 meter, 97 key, four on the floor (pedals) aircraft carrier is the Stuart & Sons concert grand. Stanhope puts the mighty Stuart through its paces on this one. And mighty like a rose, not just power. These are difficult and lovely selections, rarely performed, all linked to more popular pieces; and yet genuine in their own right."

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offeck | New York, NY -- United States of America | 12/07/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"The pianist here, David Stanhope, claims to only 'occasionally finds time to practice the piano.' How blessed he is then, with the natural ability to tackle and conquer some of the most formidable peaks of the virtuoso repertoire with an ease and grandeur that brings shame and bewilderment to even the most celebrated pianists. One notable instance, the Godowsky Passacaglia, which Horowitz gave up in despair, claiming he needed at least six hands to perform it. And what a massive and masterly aplomb Stanhope brings to the work, especially in the final pages; although it seems to lack in some of the mind-numbing inspiration apparent in Carlo Grante Music & Arts recording. The Busoni, if not intimate, is loyal and joyous. In the Chopin-Godowsky , every intricacy is spun off with dazzling fluency, but there isn't the wit one usually associates with our beloved Popsie. The Liszt Beethoven 8th symphony transcription really is Allegro vivace con brio; it's exuberant and taken at an incredible clip, though lacking in clarity... An excellent disc, really, even if inward-looking tenderness is seemingly substituted with meer technique. But what a meer technique it is!"