reviewed by Neville Cohn<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
As I listened to fortepianist Geoffrey Lancaster\u2019s recently\nreleased compact disc recording devoted to three of Mozart\u2019s keyboard sonatas,\nI wondered how some of my colleagues would respond to his approach to these\nworks. For those for whom a strict, unwavering beat (apart from a rit at the\nend of this or that section of the work) is a non-negotiable requirement,\nLancaster\u2019s recordings could well trigger apoplectic responses from those\nunable \u2013 or unwilling – to accept that these sonatas are presented in a way\nthat was standard practice during the composer\u2019s lifetime and for a long time\nafterwards. <\/p>\n\n\n\nLancaster playing Mozart in Hong Kong last year
<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
As a young grand-pupil of Lili Kraus, I accepted without\nquestion that, in Mozart or Haydn, a\nsteady beat, with hands strictly co-ordinated, was de rigueur throughout. This\nis ever present in the Mozart recordings of, say, Walter Gieseking whose performances\nwere \u2013 and still are for millions of listeners – considered the last word in\nthe way to play the works of the Salzburg master. I\u2019d like to think, though,\nthat even this very great artist, after careful consideration, might have conceded\n– at least in part – the validity of\nLancaster\u2019s revivifying approach to Mozart. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I hope these recordings receive a very wide listenership. They\ndeserve it. In his retrieval of near-forgotten historic performing modes,\nLancaster\u2019s offerings warrant the highest praise and the widest listenership.\nThis compact disc is a compendium of marvels. Even the least important\nsuccession of notes is treated with utmost care and, always, infused with\nbeauty of tone and expression. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
These performances are a joy from first note to last. I look\nforward very much to Lancaster\u2019s recordings of more of Mozart\u2019s sonatas \u2013 each\none prefaced by what comes across as if it were an on-the-spot extemporisation\nby the soloist, a procedure that was standard practice at the time Mozart\u2019s\nsonatas were being written. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As ever, Lancaster\u2019s liner notes are a joy to read. They\nought to be required reading by anyone preparing a Mozart piano work for\nperformance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I am certain that I am not the only listener looking forward\nwith great anticipation to Lancaster\u2019s next recording of the keyboard sonatas\nof Mozart.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Geoffrey Lancaster (fortepiano)\u2019 Tall Poppies TP260 reviewed by Neville Cohn As I listened to fortepianist Geoffrey Lancaster\u2019s recently released compact disc recording devoted to three of Mozart\u2019s keyboard sonatas, I wondered how some of my colleagues would respond to his<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":238,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-236","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-live-performance"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t
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