Search - Richard Nanes :: Richard Nanes: Rhapsody and Fugato No. 2/Grand Etude in A major

Superior pianist, inferior composer

Robertson Thomas | Hapcheon, Gyeongnam, South Korea | 03/21/2005

(1 out of 5 stars)

"The first composition starts with a cheap imitation of the well-known Bach toccata. The so-called fugato section is inconsequential. If that is the extent of Nanes' contrapuntal skills, I feel sorry for him.



The slow movement consists of a melody in one hand with arpeggios in the other hand, just like his nocturnes. That must be his only way of composing slow movements. He overuses the variation form, probably because that is an easy form to improvise. There are a few interesting special effects, but he dwells on those special effects long after they lose their novelty.



In the first movement of the so-called etude, he strikes random discords to show us that he is a modern composer. In the "espressivo" movement of this composition, he once again falls into his celestial nocturne rut.



If you take a poll, you may find that my estimation of Richard Nanes is a majority view. An announcer for a classical radio station informed me that Nanes' name is a big joke among classical radio stations. He finances his self-promotion with a family inheritance, but it does little good. When this particular radio announcer receives unsolicited CD's from Nanes, he gives them away as contest promotions, only to find them on the racks at the used CD store the following week."