Search - Hubert Parry, Charles Villiers Stanford, Martyn Brabbins :: Parry: Piano Concerto in F sharp major; Stanford: Piano Concerto No. 1

I'd buy it again

John H. Pendley | the beautiful mountains of north Georgia | 03/17/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Yes, this isn't great music, but where is it written that we must turn aside from lesser lights in the musical firmament? There are times for a Beethoven Sonata, and there are times for the pure, bubbling joy of the opening of Stanford's Concerto. I'd buy this recording again for that moment alone: it never fails to lift my spirits. But even better is the rapturous, delicate, haunting Adagio, which, if not great music, makes me believe, while I'm hearing it, that music can hardly be more lovely. Stanford, not Brahms, gets a handful of stars for that.



The Parry Concerto is a somewhat lesser work, for me at least, though most prefer it. It is thoroughly enjoyable, full of energy and beauty.



Piers Lane, though gaining an audience through such recordings as this one is a mostly undiscovered wonder. If you haven't heard his Saint-Saens Etudes, you should. Martyn Brabbins and his Glasgow BBC Symphony Orchestra have this music completely in their hearts. They can be heard to equal, excellent effect on other releases in this ongoing Hyperion series.



I come back to this recording fairly often. It's when I need a breath after the weight and concentration of heavier fare. I enjoy it so much that I often listen to it more than once. Everything can't be and oughtn't to be unrelentingly, overwhelmingly magnificent. It can still be more than we have reason to expect. I believe that we should accept such gifts and be thankful."

Weak point in the series

janus_kreisler_sachs | 07/23/2002

(2 out of 5 stars)

"A pair of pretty weak concertos, although Lane is superb as always and is ably backed by the SSO. They are just not able to inject much life into these two lame pieces. The Sanford is a bit more livelier than the droll Parry, though it tends to drag itself on and on without leaving much of an impression. I suppose the RPC series can't all be winners..."

Entertaining Obscurities

King Gama | Seattle, WA USA | 01/23/2001

(3 out of 5 stars)

"I can't imagine that either of these pieces would ever become part of the standard repertory, but they are both enjoyable. The two composers Parry and Stanford are often thought of in tandem, but their styles have distinct differences. Both obviously take certain stylistic mannerisms from Brahms, but Parry also throws in a bit of Wagner as well while Stanford's music often evokes Irish folk song and myth. Parry's concerto is more adventurous in structure than Stanford's but both have a broad sweeping feeling to them. Both men were highly accomplished composers and these two pieces are by no means simple for the soloist. The orchestra acquits itself well and as usual with Hyperion releases the disk has a good warm sound to it."