Search - Stepan, Hill :: Piano Sonatas 2 & 5 / Capriccios 1-5

An extrordinary performance of some ordinary music

06/29/2000

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This recording is really fun to listen to. Antonin Stepan's pieces are well composed music using less than inspired material. These pieces sound like written down improvisations. If so, it would have been fun to hear him improvise. But as written out pieces they are lacking in substance. Robert Hill's performance exemplifies what CPE Bach must have meant when he observed that a superior performance can elevate a less than first rate piece of music. His playing is both expressive and charming without going over the top. His skill as a fortepianist is second to none. This disc is expertly recorded. The most annoying thing about this recording is that MDG neglected to let us know who built the beautiful sounding fortepiano used in this CD. Other reviewers have complained about this same omission for the same reasons. However, I happen to know from inside information that it was built by Robert Hill's brother, Keith Hill in 1998."