Day 145: More Riko (Woo-Hoo!)

HaydnCD145Today’s performer is, once again, Riko Fukuda on fortepiano.

From her web site:

RIKO FUKUDA studied piano and oboe at the Toho-Gakuën conservatory in Japan. A grant from the Dutch government enabled her to study with Stanley Hoogland at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague, where she specialised in fortepiano. Her solo recordings of works by Pinto and Dussek on the Olympia label have met with great acclaim, and in 2001 she released two CDs with piano sonatas of Haydn on Brilliant Classics.

Yes, she did. I’m listening to one of them now. And it’s very good.

Riko’s playing is remarkable for its expressiveness and delicate, yet nimble, touch.

Of course, it’s impossible for me to Continue reading

Day 142: A Change of Pianists

HaydnCD142It’s funny. I knew it was a different pianist today from the first few notes.

I’ve gotten to the point where I can tell by the sound of the piano, or the style of playing, if it’s someone to whom I’ve been listening or not.

Today’s performer is Yoshiko Kojima on fortepiano.

According to one web site,

Japanese pianist Yoshiko Kojima studied piano at the Toho Gakuen School of Music in Tokyo and fortepiano at the Royal Conservatory in The Hague. Teacher at Tokai University and at the National University of Fine Arts and Music in Tokyo.

She does a masterful job, too.

These selections are crisp and passionate.

The recordings are interesting, too. On track two Continue reading

Day 141: More Snow…And Chico

HaydnCD141Back to Panera this morning for some Light Roast coffee.

It’s only $2 for a mug of it.

Yet, that $2 buys me a half day of sitting here drinking coffee, watching people, and using electricity from their outlets.

It’s a great gig, if you think about it.

And I don’t, really. I have bigger problems to fry.

But you can think about it, if you wish.

Today’s performances once again featured Stanley Hoogland on fortepiano.

However, unlike yesterday’s performance, today’s began more subdued. Less jovial. More melancholy. At least, the tempi was slower on most of these performances.

Movement I (“Moderato”) of t he second piano sonata (Piano Sonata in D HOB XVI: 19) reminded me of Chico Marx playing one of his signature piano pieces in the classic Marx Brothers movie Animal Crackers.

Don’t ask me why.

Because I’ll tell you anyway.

The notes and style between 1:44 and 1:50 are vaguely reminiscent of some of what Chico is playing in this clip:

It’s funny how my mind connects dots and/or makes associations.

Most people probably wouldn’t be reminded of Chico Marx as they listen to Stanley Hoogland.

Oh, well.

As I wrote, I have Continue reading

Day 140: A Trip to the Dentist (For Me, Not Haydn)

HaydnCD140A new day, a new performer on the fortepiano.

His name is Stanley Hoogland.

I don’t know anything about him.

But I’ll let my fingers do the Googling to find out.

Apparently, he has his own web site, which is a good thing these days. From his site:

Stanley Hoogland was one of the first pianists to take an interest in the fortepiano, which gave rise to a series of recordings made in the early seventies with such artists as Anner Bylsma and Vera Beths.

As a soloist and chamber musician he has been performing all over the world and he has been a guest of many festivals.

For recordings and concerts he often uses period instruments of his own collection and as a player of the modern piano, he does not limit himself to any fixed period in music history.

Very cool.

And so are these piano sonatas.

Hoogland plays with verve. I was Continue reading

Day 136: Is “Awesome” Too Lame a Word For This?

HaydnCD136Today’s CD features five exquisite Piano Sonatas performed by Burt van Oort on fortepiano.

I really don’t have much to say about these pieces other than “FAVORITE!” and “Do yourself a favor and listen to them!”

These are remarkable.

Standout tracks for me: #1, #4, #11 (astounding!).

Performer:
Burt van Oort fortepiano

What I listened to: Continue reading