Brilliant Composer, Brilliant Performer
fjdmpd | West River, MD USA | 06/24/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I am a student of Alan Mandel, and had the privilege of assisting in the recording of this album. Though I have been seriously studying classical music since I was six, I had not been well acquainted with the music of MacDowell before I was invited to turn pages at Professor Mandel's recording sessions. Upon first hearing the music I was thoroughly shocked by both its emotional depth and stunning virtuosity. Macdowell's four sonatas are truly masterpieces, stunningly difficult and strikingly original. The "Woodland Sketches" and "Sea Pieces," though not as technically demanding as the sonatas are nonetheless gorgeous. They require an unaffected interpretation and the careful handling afforded a delicate flower, lest their simple beauty be destroyed. Professor Mandel's recording of these works is astounding. Most surprising to me was the short time it took him to record such an enormous amount of music. The four sonatas are some of the most difficult music I have ever encountered, yet Professor Mandel recorded them with ease. Striving for utter perfection, he even included the subcontra G required by one of the sonatas. Since this note is not on the modern concert grand piano, we had a piano tuner on hand to put the piano out of tune for this splice and then to restore it (a subcontra A is written only a few measures after the G so there is no way around the splice) ! You will not be disappointed by this wonderful two disc set. Discover a brilliant American composer in this definitive recording by Alan Mandel."
Preferable to Barbagallo
fjdmpd | 05/02/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"I've listened to Barbagallo's and Mandel's recordings, and while both are worthy efforts, the Mandel stands out. Firstly, on "To a Wild Rose," Barbagallo moves along swiftly, which I don't find appropriate to the piece. Mandel goes slowly, with gradual ritards, a tempo, crescendo, decrescendo, etc. The rest of the Woodland Sketches, Sea Pieces, and sonatas seem more to find the emotional potential of MacDowell's style. This is a great cd."
Track Listings (6) - Disc #1
