| Reviews | |
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"Interesting and
individualistic playing... a study in textual clarity... His readings often
had the quality of passionate improvisations." "An impeccable, commanding
performance." "This was quite an event ...
Swansbourne's Chopin was restless, strong and well-argued, his Schubert
somehow driven, buoyant and dance-like all at once ... all was vivid, all
was logical. Will we hear this fine young pianist again soon, please?" "The pieces came over as a
flow of spontaneous invention, yet there was no mistaking the virtuosity and
intellectual energy that went into the performance." "Clive Swansbourne knows exactly
what he wants to achieve with the music,
and he accomplishes
it. He seemed incapable of putting a foot wrong, either regarding technique or
style." "This recital was a radiant
beginning to the series ... brilliantly successful ...." "Swansbourne celebrated the
beauty of sound, whether hammered, sung or rousingly swept along, showing
sensitive feel for various shadings of chords, shimmering passage-work,
dreamily soft melodic lines, and whirling perpetual motion. Nothing could
diminish the merits of the pianist ... or the enchantment of his audience" "A distinguished recital ...
richly varied in touch and tone ... lapidary fingerwork, clarity and balance
... Beethoven's Tempest Sonata received impetuous drive; lean, clear and
muscular playing, clarity of architecture and structural line ... In his
poetic, rhapsodic account of Schumann's Davidsbuendlertaenze, Swansbourne
moved easily and unfazed among the composer's mercurial moods and technical
challenges, from bold introversion to elegant introspection, from
impetuosity to delicacy, from spiky rhythms to finely spun suspensions." "... delicacy, clarity of
line, perfectly weighted singing tones, purling scales and arpeggios,
impeccable trills at any dynamic level ... the fanciful harmonic excursions
of his own first movement cadenza convinced via sheer panache." (Mozart
Concerto in C, K.467) "Swansbourne performed one
remarkable keyboard feat after another ... he had definite and beautiful
ideas ... gave splendid accounts of Rachmaninov's Preludes, demonstrating
the power and poetry of the piano. His premiere of Tippett's epic-scaled
Fourth Sonata was an important chapter in this area's musical history." "... this performance hade a
very special charge to it ... Swansbourne distilled the impulsive, moonlit
essence of Rachmaninov's Preludes." "... Rare eloquence ... a
tribute to Swansbourne's musical insights." "... a truly stunning
performance of Bach's Goldberg Variations, with superb attention to
detail, color and voice."
"He offered the
most convincing argument I believe I have ever heard (at least in live
concert) for Bach on the piano."
"Swansbourne is an artist of staggering talent and versatility. There is no
way to account for the perfect phrasing, the justness of interpretation, or
the deftness of touch ... a prodigious talent." "Gorgeous playing - I look
forward to hearing more from him." |