“Anything added to Steven Spooner’s dazzling, blurry-handed sweeps of the entire piano would have been dizzying.”

“Such a breadth and variety of difficult pieces made me wonder at first if this (Dedications box set) was a hoax. But, no, the DVD proves that Steven Spooner is the real deal, a pianist of apparently limitless raw technique that’s almost note perfect.” “He might be the best faculty pianist I’ve heard”

 

“His performances evidence Richter’s peerless focus, Gilels’s gold-plated sound, Cliburn’s urbane aesthetics, and Horowitz’s outgoing personality and his occasional tendency to play to the gallery.” “The performances of Brahms’s Fantasies op. 116 and selections from Grieg’s Lyric Pieces are simply to die for.” “I have to say that not only is Spooner a phenomenal pianist, he is also a compelling entertainer in the best sense of the word. He draws the audience in not just with his spell-binding music-making but with his magnetic personality.”

 

“This is a huge, laudable project in which pianist Steven Spooner plays recitals of repertoire associated with pianistic deities. Arensky’s rarely heard Elegie is gloriously shaded while Spooner’s own input comes in the form of his Concert Etude for Vladimir Horowitz (on music by Queen).” “Special is the disc of Schubert/Liszt Lieder (tenderly done) and Liszt’s Legend No. 2, a performance of terrific power.” “This is a fascinating collection with an intriguing spread of repertoire.”

 

First things first. There appears to be no Fanfare rule for preparing a headnote for a huge compilation such as this one—15CDs and a DVD that feature “dedications” to four legendary pianists who have had a lasting impact on pianist Steven Spooner’s artistic personality. I am grateful for that, since listing everything that Spooner plays here would be time consuming and challenging. While I discuss some of the featured repertoire below, a complete listing can be found at http://alifeofmusic.com/records/catalogue/#dedication.    

Now, let’s talk shop. If a friend were to ask me to answer in one sentence why this compilation (which sells for the modest price tag of $29.95) is worthwhile exploring, I would have very little trouble formulating a response. I would most likely say something along these lines: “This compilation is worthwhile hearing because it features intelligent, inspired, and technically-adroit performances of standard and non-standard repertoire, including the artist’s own quirky improvisations and virtuoso concert etudes.”

Alas, as a music critic, endorsing recordings by confessing that you enjoyed them a great deal doesn’t quite cut it. And when a pianist has the temerity (and I mean that in a positive way here) to record a 16-disc compilation that in large part is expressly a tribute to pianists who have long joined the Pantheon of piano gods—Sviatoslav Richter, Vladimir Horowitz, Emil Gilels, and Van Cliburn—the task of providing critical commentary becomes exceedingly complex and, at times, fraught with peril. Indeed, before I started listening to Spooner’s discs the assignment itself seemed nebulous: Am I expected to assess the merits of Spooner’s performances on their own terms, or rather compare them to those of Richter, Horowitz, Gilels, or Cliburn? Am I to render a verdict on Spooner’s pianistic abilities and interpretive ideas by using Richter, Horowitz, Gilels, or Cliburn as the (plainly unfair) yardsticks?

Since I have not previously reviewed a compilation like Spooner’s and thus I don’t even know where to begin, let me start with two high-level points. First, Spooner is not Richter, nor is he Horowitz, Gilels, or Cliburn. Rather, Spooner is very much his own man, and that is a good thing. Sure, like most pianists and critics (including this one), Spooner holds certain pianists in high regard. But Spooner’s performances, while informed by what others (not always his four dedicatees) may have said before him, are very much Spooner’s own and seem to be comfortable in their own skin. Stated differently, Spooner does not emulate, much less copy, his heroes, and his performances are thus decidedly not redundant of those of Richter, Horowitz, Gilels, or Cliburn.

Second, given the nature of the compilation, one may naturally wonder what and how much Spooner has in common with his dedicatees. There is a very obvious answer here. Like all of his dedicatees, Spooner possesses a fearless virtuoso technique. In reviewing another terrific recording of Spooner in issue 36:4, I remarked that he is “a pianist in the tradition that many believe died with the likes of Horowitz, Arrau, Bolet, Cziffra, and Wild.” These observations, apply with equal force here.

But beyond this obvious conclusion, the comparisons get dicey. I say this because, expectations notwithstanding, Spooner’s performances oftentimes are strikingly different from those of his dedicatees. (More on this below.) Still, if I were to describe Spooner by reference to his dedicatees, I would say that his performances evidence Richter’s peerless focus, Gilels’s gold-plated sound, Cliburn’s urbane aesthetics, and Horowitz’s outgoing personality and his occasional tendency to play to the gallery.

A few words about each dedication. The Richter tribute, which takes up eight discs and 50% of the DVD, is to me the highlight of the collection. Some of the performances are indeed reminiscent of Richter’s kaleidoscopic personality—for instance, the austere Haydn sonatas, Schumann’s melancholy-infused Papillons, the masterful Liszt Sonata, or a number of Debussy’s preludes. Indeed, Richter connoisseurs may even notice that in one of the three performances of the Debussy book one preludes included on the compilation (the one recorded on the 1886 Bechstein piano), Spooner omits the two works (“La fille aux cheveux de lin” and “Minstrels”) that Richter never performed in public—how’s that for a tribute?

Remarkably, however, the great Ukrainian pianist also haunts performances where Spooner ventures into repertoire foreign to Richter, or where Spooner sounds radically different, e.g., Schubert’s D. 960 Sonata (Richter would surely have disapproved of Spooner’s omitting the first-movement repeat!) or Winterreise. I say this because, even where he sounds very much unlike Richter, Spooner is able to replicate the older pianist’s ability to elucidate large-scale architectural structures without sacrificing the underlying detail.

Even though the featured repertoire may feel a bit like patchwork, the Gilels and Cliburn dedications are also unqualified successes. The former, in particular, features performances of Brahms’s Fantasies op. 116 and selections from Grieg’s Lyric Pieces that are simply to die for. But here again, you should not expect Spooner to sound like either of his dedicatees. Indeed, in their stillness and soul-baring sadness, the Grieg selections sound to me much more reminiscent of Richter. Compare, for instance, Gilels, Richter, and Spooner in the concluding work of the cycle (“Remembrances” of op. 71), and you will see what I mean.

Admirers of Horowitz will find much to cheer for in the three discs dedicated to him. Over the years, I’ve blown hot and cold over this particular dedicatee, but the good news is that Spooner’s playing is largely free of the self-indulging mannerisms that, at least to my ears, often marred Horowitz’s performances, and especially so late in his career. The highlights of this dedication are the 24 Chopin mazurkas, in which Spooner’s conception strikes me as more reminiscent of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli’s refined way with some of these works than Horowitz’s. Compare, for instance, Michelangeli, Horowitz, and Spooner in the B-minor piece of op. 33. I was not as taken with Spooner’s way with Scarlatti (overly Romantic for my taste) and the Mozart K. 330 sonata (somewhat heavy-handed), but then again I don’t quite like Horowitz’s way with these composers either.

The quality of the engineering ranges from excellent to semi-professional. While the occasional lack of expert engineering is a bit of a drawback, it will not eclipse the quality of Spooner’s playing. There are no liner notes to speak of, although some of the discs include spoken commentary by Spooner that is largely focused on his relationship with the four dedicatees.

In sum, this is a splendid collection that should be heard by anyone who loves piano music. Spooner may not have the name recognition of the sundry pianists-du-jour whose half-baked musical personalities inexplicably attract the attention of established record labels. But in the end, I believe that it is Spooner’s true artistry that is destined to withstand the test of time. Most enthusiastically recommended. Radu A. Lelutiu

– REVIEW BY RADU

 

Scarlatti Sonatas Bach/Busoni Chorale Preludes Bach/Siloti Prelude Haydn Piano Sonatas Mozart Piano Sonata, K. 330 Beethoven Piano Sonata Op. 27 No. 1 (“Moonlight”) Schubert Die Winterreise (w/Chris Thompson, bar.). Piano Sonata in B flat. Hungarian Melody. Allegretto in c. German Dances Schubert/Liszt Song transcriptions Schumann Kinderszenen (selections). Papillions. Traumerei Schumann/Liszt Widmung Chopin Mazurkas. Polonaise in c-sharp. Polonaise in A-falt (“Heroic”). Polonaise-Fantasie. Etude in C. Nocturne in E-flat. Waltz in A-flat. Liszt Consolation in D-flat. Legend no. 2. Sonata in b. Aux cypress de la Villa d’Este. Transcendental Etudes (selections). Il Penseroso Brahms Piano Quintet (w/Borromeo S. Q.). Intermezzi, Op. 117, Nos. 1, 2, Op. 118, No. 2. Waltz in A-flat. Fantasies, Op. 116 Grieg Lyric Pieces (selections) MacDowell To a Wild Rose Arensky Elegie Scriabin Etudes, Op. 2, No. 2; Op. 8, No. 12. Preludes in G-flat Rachmaninoff Preludes in g-sharp, c-sharp. Etude tableaux in D. Moment musical in b Key/Rachmaninoff Star Spangled Banner Debussy Preludes. Clair de Lune. La fille aux cheveux de lin Bartók Hungarian Peasant Song. Burlesque Prokofiev Sonata No. 6 Schnittke Concerto for Piano and Strings Gabunia Five Pieces from a Pupil’s Diary Fairouz Piano Sonata No. 2 Spooner Three Concert Etudes. Hymn Transcriptions

            This set is impressive on a number of levels. There is, obviously, the sheer scope of the project; there is enough piano music here to form the core of a basic collection, centering on the Romantic core repertoire. This is certainly the first time I have included a timing in the headnote of over a thousand minutes of music making. And this is just a portion of Steven Spooner’s concert repertoire.

            Basically, this set is Spooner’s love letter to his instrument and the great pianists who preceded him. He divides his musical selections into four groups meant to honor four pianists in particular; Vladimir Horowitz, Sviatoslav Richter, Emil Gilels and Van Cliburn. What Spooner does not do, thankfully, is to try to imitate these giants of the keyboard. That is a prospect that rarely ends well, especially in the case of Horowitz, an inimitable artist if there ever there was one. He certainly has many opportunities to do so. His Rachmaninoff, for example, is cleaner and less grandiose than that of Horowitz. The same can be said about the Chopin Polonaises that are included here. In the case of Richter, there is one case where he avoids a direct comparison by a mile, and that is in the opening movement of the Schubert Sonata in B-flat, which Richter took at a famously slow crawl. Spooner is sensible and dignified by comparison, although Richter’s performance continues to fascinate.

            Spooner does not have to imitate anyone because he is an extremely fine pianist in his own right. Many of his performances here stand alongside the best in the catalogue, which is saying a lot, since most of this music has been recorded extensively by some of the great names of the art of the piano. The two standout composers under Spooner’s fingers, for me, are Chopin and Liszt. In their own ways, these men seem to speak to the core of Spooner’s esthetic and technical ability. I was particularly taken by his performance of the Chopin Mazurkas, which he delivers with vibrancy and freshness, and a real sense of the folk origins of the rhythms and melodies. Spooner’s Liszt has a compelling spontaneity and vocal sense of phrasing. He includes two complete performance of the Sonata, one on a modern Steinway (Spooner is a Steinway artist) and a second reading on an 1886 Bechstein. Piano connoisseurs will note the subtle, but clear differences between the two, including a slightly lighter body but more varied tonality from the Bechstein. This quality allows for a richer sense of texture on the older instrument, which Spooner seems to take advantage of.

            Spooner also performs the Debussy Preludes, book one, twice, on the Steinway and then the !886 Bechstein. Here, the results are less instructive, for a couple of reasons. I love the woodsy, intricate tonality of the Bechstein, but if Spooner’s intention was to present the Debussy in a kind of historically informed way, would not the use of a vintage French piano be more accurate? And although I enjoyed Spooner’s boldly dramatic grasp of the music, I missed the ultimate coloristic shading of the early Gieseking recordings and the magical Debussy of Hristo Kazakov. Granted, those are very high standards.

            The Richter section of the set is by far the largest (comprising eight of the fifteen CDs) and also includes two excellent collaborations with other musicians. Baritone Chris Thompson offers a superb rendition of Schubert’s song cycle Die Winterreise, with plangent vocalization and poetic support from Spooner. And the excellent American ensemble Borromeo Quartet joins Spooner for a brilliant rendition of the Brahms Quintet.

            There are no apparent weaknesses in Spooner’s enormous range, but it would not be unfair to say that he is strongest in the Romantic repertoire, and that his essential artistic sensibility is romantic. So while his Haydn is warm and expressive, it lacks the crisp articulation of, for example, Marc-André Hamelin, who seems to have a better grasp of the Classical style.

            The production values of the set are okay, with obvious scrimping for, I assume, cost-cutting. Printed notes are minimal and repetitive, and recording sources are not always noted, although much of the playing is obviously from live performances (which makes the technical brilliance of the playing all the more remarkable). The recorded sound is, with a few exceptions, very good; clean, natural and not too close. Spooner makes up for the lack of printed notes with the inclusion, on most of the discs, of “audio liner notes.” These consist of Spooner’s comments on a variety of topics; his admiration for the four pianists he is honoring here, his work with his teacher Nodar Gabunia (whose music he plays here), the art of improvisation, and any number of formative experiences. His manner is almost folksy, sincerely passionate, and he conveys any number of insightful comments on piano playing and music generally.

            In addition to the fifteen CDs, there is a DVD recording of a live recital given at the University of Kansas, where Spooner is on the music faculty. It presents Spooner as a very personable artist (he seems to enjoy talking about music almost as much as he likes playing it). Spooner is clearly an unapologetic music nerd, which should certainly resonate with Fanfare readers (and writers; I am guilty as charged). His musical personality can be distilled from one particular performance in the set, his own arrangement of the rock anthem We are the Champions, by Queen, which he dedicates to Horowitz. I found it to be enormous fun; if you do, as well, you should certainly enjoy everything else that this remarkable artist does.

– PETER BAURWASSER

 

“Here we have quite a marathon undertaking, and one that is unique in a number of ways. Before me is a boxed set of 15 CDs and one DVD, containing over 18 hours of music and narrative presented by American pianist Steven Spooner. The uniqueness of the collection lies in its format, which I will address momentarily;”

 

Disc 1: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 1: Vladimir Horowitz

BACH/BUSONI Chorale Prelude No. 3, “Nun komm’ der heiden Heiland” BWV 659. SCARLATTI. Keyboard Sonatas: in a Minor, K. 149; in d, K. 213; in EI, K. 474 (all three on Horowitz’s Piano); in f, K. 184. SCRIABIN. Etudes in cT, op. 2/1; in dT, op. 8/12.* Prelude in GI, op. 16/3. MOZART. Piano Sonata in C, K. 330. ARENSKY. Elegie in g, op. 36/16.RACHMANINOFF. Prelude in gT, op. 32/12.* Etude in D, op. 39/9.* Moment musical in b, op. 16/3. QUEEN/SPOONER. Concert Etude for Vladimir Horowitz (2014). Audio Liner Notes

 

“As fans of the late Vladimir Horowitz are sure to know, Scarlatti and Rachmaninoff were among his favorite composers and they featured regularly on his recital programs and recordings. Perhaps the most interesting item on this disc—interesting for the unusual coming together of its musical spirits—is the Queen/Spooner Concert Etude for Vladimir Horowitz. This is the third in order of Spooner’s Three Concert Etudes, all three of which you can see and hear him perform on the “Swarthout Recital” DVD. The piece is a speculation on how Vladimir Horowitz might have interpreted We Are the Champions by the rock band Queen. We’ll never know, of course, what Horowitz would have made of Spooner’s Etude because it was composed in 2014, but I can report that it’s not some sort of comic parody. It’s an absolutely gorgeous piece in a sweeping Romantic style that combines elements of Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and early Scriabin before he went over the edge. We’ll never know what Freddie Mercury, the lead vocalist and co-songwriter of Queen thinks of it either because he died in 1991. But we can know what the audience thought of this live performance. They went wild for it, giving it well-deserved applause and cheers.”

 

Disc 3: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 3: Vladimir Horowitz

BACH/BUSONI Chorale Prelude No. 5, “Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr,” BWV 639.

SCHUBERT/LISZT. Soirée de Vienne in A, S. 427/7. Ständchen, S. 560/7.*

Erlkönig, S. 558/4.* LISZT. Consolation in DI, S. 172/3. Legend No. 2, S. 175/2.* LASSEN/LISZT. Löse, Himmel, meine Seele, S. 494i.** SCHUMANN. Kinderzenen: Von fremden Ländern und Menschen; Kuriose Geschichte; Bittendes Kind; Wichtige Begebenheit; Träumerei; Kind im Einschlummern;

Der Dichter spricht. CHOPIN. Polonaises: in cT, op. 26/1; in AI, op. 53, “Heroic.”* Waltz in AI, op. 69/1

“The third Horowitz volume gathers together a number of Liszt arrangements and original compositions, plus several numbers from Schumann’s Kinderszenen, and bookends them with a Bach chorale prelude arranged for piano by Busoni, and a couple of Polonaises and a waltz by Chopin. This is a nicely balanced program in which Spooner proves himself a pianist of limpid tone and very impressive technique.”

 

Disc 4: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 1: Sviatoslav Richter

SCHUBERT Winterreise, D 911. Audio Liner Notes — Chris Thompson (bar)

 

“Steven Spooner has previously partnered with baritone Chris Thompson on record in a performance of the short song cycle, Posh, by Mohammed Fairouz, reviewed by Lynn René Bayley in 36:6.” Chris (or Christopher) Thompson is a baritone, and the color of his voice in combination with the richly nuanced readings he brings to the Winterreise songs make for a deeply moving performance. Together with Spooner’s keyboard contribution, this Winterreise must be judged both a success and a highly rewarding musical experience.

In keeping with the “Dedications” theme of this collection, it should be noted that Sviatoslav Richter is on record in a Winterreise with tenor Peter Schreier.”

 

Disc 5: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 2: Sviatoslav Richter

BRAHMS Piano Quintet in f, op. 34. A Discussion with the Borromeo String Quartet and Steven Spooner — Borromeo Str Qrt

 

“The reading is one that delivers plenty of dynamic power, but…I have to admit, however, that the almost 30-minute conversation between Spooner and the Borromeo Quartet members on the last track is most illuminating and makes this disc a valuable part of the collection.”

 

Disc 6: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 3: Sviatoslav Richter

HAYDN Keyboard Sonatas: in G, Hob. XVI:40: Allegretto e innocente; in AI, Hob. XVI:46; in cT, XVI:36. In C, XVI:48; in EI, XVI:49. Audio Liner Notes

 

“Having followed the scores on line as I listened to Spooner’s Haydn disc, I have to say that the pianist’s observance of the letter of the law is literal and precise, right down to the staccato dots over the notes, the execution of the turns and grace notes, and the observance of tempo and dynamic markings, and repeats. I can also say that Spooner’s observance of the spirit of Haydn is second to none that I’ve heard. His playing is full of wit, charm, grace, and where called for, as in the Adagio of the AI-Major Sonata, Hob. XVI:46, a genuine poignancy of expression.”

 

Disc 7: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 4: Sviatoslav Richter

GABUNIA Five Pieces from a Pupil’s Diary. SCHNITTKE. Concerto for Piano and Strings¹. FAIROUZ. Piano Sonata No. 2, “The Last Resistance.”** Audio Liner Notes — ¹Misha Rachlevsky, cond; ¹Kremlin CO

“Nodar Gabunia (1933–2000), for example, was a Georgian composer, pianist, and teacher with whom Spooner studied and who he reveres. I doubt, however, that Richter knew or ever played Gabunia’s Five Pieces from a Pupil’s Diary, written in 1978. Spooner describes the work as a kind of updated take on Schumann’s Kinderszenen, with movement titles such as “On the Way to School,” and “School Bell.” Three of the short pieces definitely do have a kind of sing-song-y, nursery rhyme character to them, but I wouldn’t call them simplistic or unsophisticated. The fifth piece, “Dream,” in particular, is a beautiful Romantic reverie.

As for Mohammed Fairouz’s Piano Sonata No. 2, titled “The Last Resistance,” I fail to see any connection to Richter at all. Richter died in 1997; Fairouz composed his sonata in 2011. I’m happy to have the piece on the disc, because when I reviewed it the first time in 36:4, I declared the work a masterpiece, and my appreciation of it has not diminished a single iota since. Commissioned by Reach Out Kansas, Inc., and written specifically for Spooner, it makes a powerful statement strictly as a piece of abstract music, apart from its extra-musical program dealing with the horror and tragedy of 9/11 and the Iraq war it prompted.

The sonata is a technical test of the will, to be sure, and Spooner handles that aspect of the piece with steel in his fingers, hands, and resolve. But there’s an emotional dimension and depth to Fairouz’s sonata that Spooner grasps and recreates to blistering effect. In fact, this recording is quite a stunner.”

Disc 8: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 5: Sviatoslav Richter

DEBUSSY Preludes, Book 1 (two performances: (1) Modern Steinway; (2) 1886 Bechstein Concert Grand). Audio Liner Notes

“The halfway point in this collection features two performances of Book 1 of Debussy’s Preludes. The earlier performance, which comes second on the disc, was taped in June, 2014, on an 1886 Bechstein concert grand. The later performance, which comes first on the disc, was taped in Swarthout Hall in August, 2015, on a modern Hamburg Steinway grand. This is the same performance duplicated on the “Swarthout Live Recital DVD.” I’m guessing here that due to the time constraints of the CD, the final number in the set, “Minstrels,” was omitted from the Bechstein performance, which is second on the disc.

Whether on the Steinway or the Bechstein, Spooner’s Debussy Preludes are beautifully played, inviting us into a tactile world of glorious colors and textures. And yes, Debussy was a favorite of Richter, who recorded Book II of the Preludes as an integral set, and over time and several separate recordings all of Book I as well.”

 

Disc 9: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 6: Sviatoslav Richter

LISZT Piano Sonata in b (two performances: (1) Modern Steinway;* (2) 1886 Bechstein Concert Grand).** Années de pèlerinage II: Italie: S. 161/2, “Il Penseroso.” Audio Liner Notes

 

“Here, as on the previous disc, Spooner gives us two performances of Liszt’s B-Minor Sonata. First up is the later of the two versions, given in concert at Swarthout Hall in May, 2011, on the Steinway, and the earlier version given at the Spencer Art Museum in December, 2010, on the Bechstein. “Il Penseroso,” from the second year, Italie, of Liszt’s Années de pèlerinage comes between the two performances of the sonata and appears to have been an encore at the Swarthout recital, which places it on the Steinway. Without raising too much dissent, I think it can be said that Richter was a surprisingly unpredictable player; sometimes he could be cool and diffident, other times he could wax white hot. No two performances are the same.

Spooner is perhaps the more consistent player, at least in these two performances of the sonata, but there are differences, which may or may not be related to the different pianos; I don’t know. It just seems to me that Spooner’s Swarthout Steinway performance has a greater sense of urgency and intensity of focus to it. Tempos are mainly a bit quicker and his reading has greater dramatic sweep and power to it. The Spencer Art Museum Bechstein performance is softer around the edges in the slow, quiet passages, not quite as feral in the wild passages, and not quite as grandiose in the great climaxes.

Maybe it is the pianos after all, for on both instruments, Spooner exhibits a prodigious technique that holds the listener’s attention throughout. I can guarantee that you won’t nod off during either of these performances of the sonata, as Brahms did at a performance of the piece by Liszt himself.”

 

 

Disc 11: DEDICATIONS, Vol. 8: Sviatoslav Richter

SCHUMANN Papillons. CHOPIN. Etude in C, op. 10/1.* Polonaise-Fantaisie in AI, op. 61.** LISZT. Années de pèlerinage III, S. 163/2, “Aux cyprès de la Villa d’Este I.” Transcendental Etudes, S. 139: Nos. 1, 3, 8, and 11. RACHMANINOFF. Prelude in gT, op. 32/12.* PROKOFIEV. Sonata No. 6, op. 82: Allegro moderato. BARTÓK. From 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs, Sz 71* Burlesques, Sz 47: No. 1, “Quarrel”*

 

The final Richter tribute volume is a wide-ranging miscellany of repertoire, every single item of which is documented on recordings by the famous pianist. Aside from that, Spooner’s disc makes for a very enjoyable recital program.

 

Disc 12: DEDICATIONS: Emil Gilels

BACH-SILOTI Prelude in b, BWV 855a. WAGNER-LISZT. Phantasiestück über Motive aus Rienzi, S. 439.** GRIEG. Lyric Pieces: Arietta, Op. 12/1. Butterfly, op. 43/1; Nocturne, op. 54/4; Grandmother’s Minuet, op. 68/2; At Your Feet, op. 68/3; At the Cradle, op. 68/5; Remembrances, op. 71/7. BRAHMS. 7 Fantasies, op.116. Intermezzos: in EI, op.117/1; in bI, op.117/2. Audio Liner Notes

 

“As far as I can tell, all of the pieces Spooner includes on this disc are pieces that Gilels played and recorded. I particularly like Spooner’s way with Brahms’s late piano pieces, in which he seems to capture the introspection and intimacy of the composer’s confessions with heartfelt sincerity.”

 

Disc 13: DEDICATIONS: Van Cliburn Piano Favorites

2. S. KEY-RACHMANINOFF Star Spangled Banner. BEETHOVEN. Piano Sonata No 14, “Moonlight.” RACHMANINOFF. Prelude in cT, op. 3/2. SCHUMANN. Romanze in FT, op. 28/2.** Kinderszenen: “Traumerei.” CHOPIN. Nocturne in EI, op. 9/2. Polonaise in AI, op. 53, “Heroic.”* BRAHMS. Waltz in AI, op. 39/15. Intermezzo in A, op. 118/2. MACDOWELL. To a Wild Rose, op. 59/1. SCRIABIN. Etude in dT, op. 8/12.* SCHUMANN/LISZT. Widmung, S. 566. DEBUSSY Suite bergamasque: “Clair de lune.” La fille aux cheveux de lin.* Audio Liner Notes

 

“For the last disc of the “Dedications” series, Spooner turns to that icon and one-time idol of American pianists, Van Cliburn, who, in some ways, I think, was too brief a candle. Like the Gilels disc, this Cliburn CD makes for a diverse and most enjoyable recital program, played by Spooner with a brilliance I’m sure Cliburn himself would acknowledge and appreciate.”

 

Disc 14: MEMORIES AND INSPIRATIONS, VOL 1

Steven Introduces Memories and Inspirations. Steven shares his earliest musical experiences. Hymn Transcriptions: Amazing Grace (live performance); Something About That Name; There is a Fountain; Oh How He Loves You and Me; How Great Thou Art. Steven talks about his first piano lessons. CHOPIN. Nocturne in EI, op. 9/2. GRIEG. Lyric Pieces: “Arietta, op. 12/1. Steven discusses the influence of Vladimir Horowitz. RACHMANINOFF. Etude in D, op. 39/9.* SCRIABIN. Prelude in GI, op. 16/3

 

“As noted earlier, the two volumes that make up the “Memories and Inspirations” set are largely a sampler of the larger box as a whole. But as you can see, that’s not entirely the case. There are pieces on both this disc and the next that don’t appear elsewhere in the box, and the most enlightening and valuable parts of these two CDs are Spooner’s far-reaching discourses on his life in and love for music.”

 

Disc 15: MEMORIES AND INSPIRATIONS, VOL 2

BACH-BUSONI Chorale Preludes: “Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr,” BWV 639; “Nun komm’ der heiden Heiland,” BWV659. Steven shares his first experiences learning the music of Liszt. SCHUBERT-LISZT Erlkönig, S. 558/4 (Live 2011). LASSEN-LISZT. Löse, Himmel, meine Seele, S 494i (Live 2011).** Steven speaks of his admiration for Keith Jarrett. Shenandoah. Somewhere Over the Rainbow (Live 2013). Steven talks about the art of improvisation. Amazing Grace (studio version)

 

“I can only repeat here what I said above in relation to Volume 1 in this two-disc set of “Memories and Inspirations.”

 

Disc 16: SWARTHOUT RECITAL — DVD

DEBUSSY Preludes, Book I. SCHUBERT-LISZT. Standchen, S. 560/7.** SCRIABIN. Etudes: in cT, op. 2/1; in dT, op. 8/12.* SPOONER. Three Concert Etudes for Argerich, Jarrett, and Horowitz.** Encore: Improvisation on Amazing Grace.

 

“We arrive finally at the end of this journey with a DVD of a live recital given at Swarthout Hall in August, 2015. Based on the evidence of this video, I have to say that not only is Spooner a phenomenal pianist, he is also a compelling entertainer in the best sense of the word. He draws the audience in not just with his spell-binding music-making but with his magnetic personality. Before beginning each piece, he addresses the audience and speaks to them about the music, adding insights into it and describing it in ways that enhances understanding and enjoyment. This is a beautifully done production, with outstanding videography and superb sound.

But much of the value and reward of this set is to be found in Spooner’s insightful spoken program notes, in his extended conversation with members of the Borromeo String Quartet, and in his personal reflections on his life in music. There is far too much here for anyone to absorb in one sitting, but this is the sort of set one will return to again and again, on a disc by disc basis, for many years to come.”

– Jerry Dubins

 

 

“When the Editor asked me if I was available to review two discs titled “Historical Piano Series,” I enthusiastically accepted the assignment. I did so because, based on the aforementioned title, I assumed that pianist Steven Spooner would be performing on instruments made by the venerable houses of Bösendorfer, Bechstein, Steingraeber, Blüthner, Steinweg, Ibach, and so on. As it turns out, my assumption was at least in part incorrect—while some of the featured repertoire is indeed performed on historical instruments (including an 1886 Bechstein that allegedly once belonged to Liszt), most of it appears to me to be performed on modern pianos, some of which are frankly not very good. I suppose I would have been within my rights to feel at least somewhat disappointed after listening to Spooner’s recordings, but much to my surprise I was not. That is because, whether played on old pianos, new pianos, good pianos, or bad pianos, the featured repertoire receives consistently fresh and inspired performances.

Let me begin with some general observations. Spooner is a pianist in the tradition that many believe died with the likes of Horowitz, Arrau, Bolet, Cziffra, and Wild. He has a very secure and seemingly effortless technique, and a cast bronze, bass-centered sound that maintains its texture, richness, and depth across all dynamic levels. He also has remarkable lyrical gifts and a keen appreciation for the underlying architecture of the works he plays. Finally, it is also plain that Spooner likes to have fun behind the keyboard and think outside the box. These qualities are reflected throughout Spooner’s performances of the diverse works included on these discs.

Spooner’s ability to paint large-scale musical canvasses is best showcased in the Liszt Sonata, which is performed on the aforementioned 1886 Bechstein, and Chopin’s Polonaise-Fantaisie. In many respects, Spooner’s grandly-conceived reading of the Liszt Sonata reminds me of Richter’s in its unflagging concentration and frequent clashes between demonic surges and mystical respites that threaten to break the integrity of the work’s architecture but paradoxically only serve to underscore it. It is a vision that rejects surface thrills, but one that will undoubtedly have its detractors. (See, for instance, Adrian Corleonis’s dismissal of Richter in Issue 32:2.) Carl Bechstein famously set out to build instruments able to weather Lisztian storms. Given that Spooner’s instrument is now 130 years old, it is perhaps not surprising that it no longer operates as it once did. Thus, there are times when the piano sounds overpowered and, likely due to a loss in the soundboard’s crown, its top frequently fails to project and sustain. That said, there are also moments, particularly in the Andante sostenuto, where the instrument glows miraculously.

Spooner’s bel canto tone is on full display in the Schumann Romance (who isn’t this work more frequently performed?), the Chopin mazurkas, which are delivered with masterful gusto, and the Schubert transcriptions (particularly the famous Serenade), which are gorgeously shaded and heartbreaking in their irrepressible melancholy. As far as I am concerned, this is simply what great piano playing is all about. Those attracted to pyrotechnics will also find plenty to cheer about, including Spooner’s unflappable romps through the Hungarian Rhapsody, various Liszt transcriptions, and the Argerich-inspired Spooner etude.

The quality of the recorded sound is semi-professional but nonetheless acceptable. In his liner notes, Spooner notes that these are live performances that took place in various venues and on various instruments. While the lack of expert engineering is a bit of a drawback, it will not eclipse the quality of Spooner’s playing.

Two discs that will no doubt lead to endless hours of delight for pianophiles. Highly recommended.” Radu A. Lelutiu

CD Review: Historical Piano Series, Volumes III and V. March 1, 2013

– FANFARE MAGAZINE     

 

 

 

“I have said many times in these pages that the great majority of young classical musicians who win prizes at prestigious competitions and are described by their high-powered publicity as “one of the most exciting and dynamic (fill in instrumentalist or conductor’s name here) of their generation” are usually no match for the great names of the past, many of whom won no major competitions or, if they did, only managed to do so after they were established. Sometimes political circumstances interfered with them, especially those who had the misfortune to emerge just as Fascism and Nazism were engulfing the world in darkness, but in many cases it was simply a matter of not being able to afford to go to all the really big competitions. Yet there were giants in those days.

These CDs, and a DVD reviewed below, are proof enough that there are still superb musicians who manage to win prizes and have nice careers without attaining a high profile. Steven Spooner (b. 2/3/1970) is one such example. He entered and placed well in several competitions, among them the New Orleans, Hilton Head, and Artlivre International Piano Competitions; the most internationally prestigious was probably the well-known Franz Liszt Piano Competition in 1999. He has concertized in Carnegie Hall, as have hundreds of others, as well as in Holland, Moscow, Paris, Budapest, Geneva, and cities in South America. But insofar as high-profile recognition goes, Dr. Spooner is not well known. He is assistant professor of piano at the University of Kansas in Lawrence. Yet his talent, to my ears, is easily the equal of most major pianists of today and far superior to a large number of those “most exciting and dynamic pianists of their generation” whose discs fill the new record catalogs to overflowing.

This series of self-produced CDs, bearing the title Historical Piano Recital Series, reflects the programs of Spooner’s attempt to replicate the long series of “historical recitals” given by Anton Rubinstein in 1885, in which he played a broad range of romantic composers and thus set the boundaries for the “standard piano repertoire.” Spooner says that in trying to replicate Rubinstein’s feat, he immersed himself “in the composer’s world with hours of listening to their chamber, vocal, orchestral music (if applicable) and reading as much as I could about their lives, loves, and legacies.” The CDs are not necessarily recordings of the actual concerts involved, but in many cases performances recorded at earlier concerts that happened to have better fidelity or which are better realizations of the music. Spooner begs the listener’s indulgence with occasional audience noise or less than perfect sound reproduction. On these discs, at least, I had no real complaints.

His performance of the Schumann Romanze is beautifully poised, the tone deep in the keys (this seems to be a hallmark of his playing) and the dreamy mood sustained to perfection. Although I am not normally a big fan of the Liszt piano transcriptions of others’ songs, I have to admit that the way Spooner performs Aufenthalt conforms with my vision of the work’s dramatic content, and the famed Ständchen is turned by Liszt into a sort of love duet, with the pianist’s two hands managing, through some strange magic, to actually play three different lines of music simultaneously (the chorded bass line, the melody in the mid-range, and an answering voice an octave higher). Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13appears to be a favorite piece for Spooner because it’s based “not only on Gypsy and/or Hungarian themes but features Jewish themes in the extended Lassan opening.” Here one is able to compare Spooner directly to some of the most famous Liszt pianists of all time, such as Gyorgy Cziffra (one of many examples who fit my description in the first paragraph—what competitions did Cziffra win?), and though his technique is not as dazzling it is certainly good enough to encompass the most difficult passages in this work, and his sense of melodic phrasing is every bit the equal of Cziffra’s.

I was a little less pleased with his performances of the Chopin mazurkas, but only because I felt he didn’t quite capture the correct mazurka rhythm. I admit, however, that this is a difficult rhythmic “feel” for a non-Eastern European pianist to achieve. Of Western pianists, the late Antonio Barbosa was one of the very few who got the rhythm right. Aside from this technical problem, however, Spooner plays them with obvious affection, and I had no such reservations about his playing of the long Polonaise-Fantaisie which is quite fine.

Of Spooner’s two original Etudes, the one dedicated to Keith Jarrett, though requiring the performer to improvise freely and eventually quote from the tune My Funny Valentine, seemed to me rather ruminative and low-key although a fascinating piece. The second Etude, Toccata à la Argerich, is a dazzling showpiece capturing her intensity and Latin roots while quoting briefly from Ravel’s Gaspard de la Nuit and Prokofiev’s Toccata op. 11.

Although I’m pretty familiar with William Bolcom’s opera and all of his recordings of Scott Joplin pieces for Nonesuch, I did not previously know “The Serpent’s Kiss,” but it’s an enormously entertaining and well-constructed piece which calls for foot stamping, piano tapping, and tongue clicking effects, all of which could easily be made to sound tawdry in the hands of a lesser composer. Bolcom is a fine writer, however, and thus this piece emerges as a good one that also happens to be entertaining. Spooner is obviously having fun with it as well as the appreciative audience. This is an excellent introduction to the piano world of Steven Spooner, and I heartily recommend it to you.

Moving on to Vol.5, this too seeks to replicate (but not entirely duplicate) the legendary Anton Rubinstein’s 1885 traversals of what was then the standard piano repertoire. As far as I can infer from both the booklet to this CD and the pianist’s own website, which list the entire repertoire that Spooner presented at his concerts, Vol. 5 seems to be a mere pausing point for what will undoubtedly be a set of roughly 15 CDs. To date, the other volumes include the following pieces:

Vol. 1:
Mozart: sonatas K 132, 141, 184, 213.
Haydn: Sonata in AI, Hob XVI/46
Schubert: Sonata in a, D 537

Vol. 2:
J. Strauss-Dohnányi: Zigeunerbaron: Schatz-Walzer
Chopin: Mazurkas, op. 24/1-4, Etude op.10/1; Waltz op. 69/1
Wagner/Liszt: Rienzi Paraphrase
Brahms: Intermezzo op. 116/6, Capriccio, op. 116/7
Debussy: La cathedrale engloutie, Etude: Pour les octaves
Rachmaninoff: Etude, op. 39/9 in D
Bartók: from 15 Hungarian Peasant Songs, Burlesque no. 1
Spooner: Etude-Toccata (à la Argerich)

Vol. 4:
Liszt: Piano Sonata, Il penseroso
Schubert: Sonata in BI, D 960

I’m not sure why several pieces are duplicated in the five CDs issued so far, particularly the very long Liszt sonata, but there you are. The remaining CDs to come in this series will include Scriabin’s Preludes and Etudes, Scarlatti sonatas, more Haydn, several Brahms pieces including the difficult Variations and Fugue on a Theme of Handel,Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No. 6, Beethoven sonatas, Debussy, Schumann, Bartók, and Ligeti. It appears to be quite a prodigious project.

Spooner plays the Liszt sonata on the composer’s own 1886 Bechstein grand piano, so undoubtedly this comes from a recital in Hungary. There is good energy to the performance, and Spooner holds the unusual structure of the sonata together quite well, though it seldom reaches the emotional heights of Annie Fischer’s remarkable performance of it (few do). The paraphrase from Wagner’s Rienzi is remarkable for its musical invention, and Spooner acquits himself well here, fully entering the spirit of the piece’s energy. I felt that this version of the Schubert-Liszt Aufenthalt was a bit more intense than the one on Vol. 3, but the interpretation of the Ständchen is virtually identical. The Liszt transcriptions ofMut and Loreley, new to this release, are also played exceptionally well. Needless to say, the Meyerbeer-Liszt Valse infernale is a real tour de force, yet even here the overriding quality of Spooner’s conception is to reveal the structure of the piece, not merely to dazzle the listener with keyboard pyrotechnics.

In a certain way—that way being tone, touch, and range of colors—Spooner’s playing put me in mind of Leonard Shure, one of my recent discoveries. They share a love of romantic scores, a deep-in-the-keys touch, and a way of coloring the music, in addition to outstanding phrasing. It’s a hard quality to put into words, but Spooner almost seems to be “allowing” the piano to make music rather than forcing it to do so. This is the mark of a first-rate musician who puts his or her talent to the service of the composer rather than the other way round.

My review of Spooner’s DVD follows below. I look forward to hearing his Beethoven, Schubert, Scriabin, and Prokofiev in future releases of this series.” Lynn René Bayley

CD Review: Historical Piano Series, Volumes III and V. March 1, 2013

– FANFARE MAGAZINE  

 

“Originally entitled a Sviatoslav Richter Commemorative Recital, American pianist Steven Spooner, piano professor at University of Kansas, gave his audience a choice of four different recital programmes to choose from. This element of serendipity, interaction, and ultimately spontaneity, was an unusual departure from the norm of a concert pianist having a fixed recital programme that is played to death within a given season.

It also harked back to the halcyon era of great pianists (the likes of Anton Rubinstein, Josef Hofmann and Rachmaninov come to mind) who had such wide repertoires that the entire length, breadth and depth of piano literature is explored over a series of evenings. As it turned out, the audience voted out the austere Richter recital, favouring instead programmes inspired by Arthur Rubinstein, Vladimir Horowitz and Spooner’s own arrangements.

Thus a Chopin group opened the evening, with a Polonaise, four Mazurkas, a Waltz and the Second Scherzo, all exhibiting a sensitive ear for gradations of sonority, and an intuitive feeling of rubato. For the Polish dances, the lilt was delicious, lingering ever so slightly but not overdone. Outright virtuosity came to the fore in the Scherzo, but there was never a forced or ugly sound.

Three short works that Horowitz loved came next, first a delicate Scarlatti Sonata in D minor, Rachmaninov’s melancholic Prelude in G sharp minor and the lovely cantabile of Liszt’s transcription of Schubert’s Serenade. In the latter, the intimate voices became so intertwined in a tender love duet that was simply hard to resist.

Spooner then played two of his own Virtuoso Etudes, first an improvisation on My Funny Valentine in the manner of Keith Jarrett, followed by a Latino toccata that interpolated Scarlatti’s repeated notes with Ginastera’s cascading chords as if it were played by Spooner’s idol, the ageless Argentine Martha Argerich. The operative word here is “if”.

The recital was so absorbing for both pianist and audience that the customary quarter-hour intermission was completely forgotten when Spooner offered to play requests. Most votes went to Liszt’s Thirteenth Hungarian Rhapsody with Horowitz’s elaborations, last heard here played by Arcadi Volodos in 2005. If anything, Spooner displayed a greater sense of freedom in the slow lassu introduction, and more than matched the regaled Russian in the furiously fast friss to close.

Then there were calls for Liszt’s B minor Sonata and the hymn Amazing Grace. Amazingly, Spooner played the descending G minor octave scales that open the 30-minute long Sonata. Settling comfortably in G major, the famous John Newton hymn later emerged from the mist and was subjected to the full gospel treatment. That cunning little act of “preluding”, a practice of old and now almost forgotten, lives again!”

Recital Review, Esplanade Hall, Saturday, May 12, 2012

– THE STRAITS TIMES  

 

The National Gallery of Art’s Sunday evening concerts are among Washington’s favorite events. Avid devotees queue up patiently, no matter the weather, to await admission to the free concerts by renowned artists.
This week, pianist Steven Spooner will celebrate Franz Liszt’s bicentennial by performing some of the composer’s masterworks. During the first half of the program, he will present the Washington debut of Mohammed Fairouz’s four-movement sonata titled “The Last Resistance.”

“I like contrasts, which is why I chose these two very different composers,” Spooner said. “I wish to present all aspects of Liszt’s work so listeners can re-evaluate him, but I try to avoid his chestnuts. Mohammed’s piece was commissioned by the Reach Out Kansas Foundation. I first performed it at the University of Kansas, where I’m on the faculty, and I’ll give the New York debut at Carnegie Hall in January.”

Spooner grew up in New Orleans hating piano lessons until his teacher introduced him to Chopin. With Van Cliburn as his model, Spooner pursued his dream of studying in Russia by memorizing the International Tchaikovsky Competition prize winner’s book. Armed with training at Paris Conservatory, Moscow and Tbilisi conservatories, Spooner won all seven of the international competitions he entered.

Mohammed Fairouz, one of today’s most prolific young composers, writes symphonies, oratorios, operas, art songs, song cycles, chamber and solo works. As a New Yorker and an Arab-American who watched 9/11 transpire, he was inspired to take the title of this commission from Jaqueline Rose’s “The Last Resistance,” a collection of essays.

“The first movement is the prophesy of difficult times ahead,” he said. “It’s emotionally charged with idioms of hollow sounding, contrapuntal, percussive Arabic music. My source was a quote by Osama bin Laden prophesying a time ahead when a force would sweep evil from the peninsula. Did he refer to his homeland from which he was exiled, or Manhattan?

“The second movement is post-9/11 Manhattan filled with retro recollections and overly nostalgic concepts. It lampoons the era of Gershwin and Cy Coleman music, punctuated by big octaves that offset the high seriousness of the first movement. The third movement is a lamentation [“Freud Goes to Abu Ghraib”] played with one hand straight out, slow and eerily high before plunging to the piano’s lowest note, an A. It is asking how we can rebuild an image from this sorry state.

“The fourth movement is what I call a vicious finale, a musical portrait of men and women in dark times. I use over the top percussive sounds, octave displacement and counterpoint to show diversity and the musical cosmopolitanism of our time.”

Interview, Saturday, November 26, 2011

– THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER  

 

“Mr. Spooner’s Chopin pianism featured subtle meter shifts and equally subtle colors, both central to an artistic Mazurka reading. His rubatos were many and old fashioned, a la Paderewski. The two-movement (Haydn) Sonata received the pianist’s close attention to the improvisatory opening’s slowly-unfolding theme, and the closing second movement was effervescent with Haydn’s ubiquitous humor, clear scale playing…Wonderful music, expertly played.

Liszt’s sweeping Second Legend (St. Francis Walking on the Waves), from 1863.. Mr. Spooner had the endurance to push the broken octaves in the left hand to maximum volume and the feeling of rolling waves was palpable. This is program music that demands a bravura technique, the religious ecstasy evident at the end when the pianist created the great saint on his cloak crossing the roaring ocean… the glittering fast-speed octaves and orchestral chord playing are the result of long work and thought on the Sonata (Liszt Sonata in B Minor). The bucolic chorale sections interrupting surging parts of the single movement were a transfiguration, calling a listener’s attention to celestial space and repose. He was never in a hurry to get anywhere and his rhythmic mastery was complete. Mr. Spooner’s chordal weighting and pedal control was superb, the music sonorous but fleeting, and there was a ten-second hush beyond the final bottom B note.

If an encore was demanded, and it was, it had to be something diametrically opposed to the storms of the Legend and Sonata. Mr. Spooner presented Chopin’s “Farewell” Waltz in F Minor, Op. 69, No. 1. It was an understated performance, perfectly capturing the melancholy and nostalgia.”

Recital Review, Sunday, February 27, 2011

– CLASSICAL SONOMA  

 

“At the same time, there was already plenty to listen to — and watch — during a performance Saturday at Catholic University’s Hartke Theatre of the composer’s transcription of Schubert’s “Erlkoenig.” Anything added to Steven Spooner’s dazzling, blurry-handed sweeps of the entire piano would have been dizzying.”

Review of the American Liszt Society National Festival. Washington D.C. 5/2008

– THE WASHINGTON POST  

 

“And pianist Steven Spooner was as near perfection as it’s possible to get. I’ve not witnessed such collaborative finesse since watching Oleg Maisenberg help Robert Holl deliver a near-flawless Die Schone Mullerin in Vienna’s Musikverein back in 1997.”

Review of Schubert’s Winterreise, 1/18/10.

– THE MANHATTAN MERCURY  

 

“American Steven Spooner had everything: polished technique, musical intelligence, innate sensitivity, and a personality that reaches across the keyboard. Spooner’s Scarlatti (Dominico, Sonatas K. 213 and 184) were perfectly sketched pieces of understatement highlighting the 26-year-old’s clarity, sensitivity and simplicity of statement. But Spooner has plenty of what Maestro Claudio Abbado calls the Big Utterance. Spooner used pedal technique rather than force to coax immense sound, achieving dense volume from the middle voice, and a growling resonance in the low voice. Accuracy was commendable throughout.”

Review of Hilton Head International Piano Competition winner’s recital. 10/25/1996

– SAVANNAH TIMES

 

“Spooner, victor in the Liszt Competition in Russia, took on music of what was referred to as the ‘virtuoso Liszt,’ music of the composer as a young man…There were flourishes galore and chordal clusters and runs and resounding climaxes…One heard phenomenally agile pianism along with temperamentally sensitive musicianship.”

Review of all Liszt concert. Bloomington, IN 11/13/2002

– THE HERALD TIMES  

 

“The competition (The International Liszt Competition) on Thursday afternoon was ruled by the very professional, serious, and beautiful performance of Steven Spooner from the U.S.A. His playing was thought through to the finest detail from the beginning to its perfect conclusion. His Transcendental Etudes, Wilde Jagd and Harmonies du Soir were virtuosic and emotionally stirring. The Schubert Serenade in Liszt’s transcription was both lyrical and clearly conceived.”

Wroclaw, Poland 10/5/2002

– GAZETA WROCLAWSKA, (THE BRESLAU NEWS)  

 

“Following a break, Maltinski turned to Beethoven and Franck. The Beethoven A Minor Sonata for Violin and Piano, Opus 23, brought forth an appropriate energy mixed with reserve. From both the violinist and pianist Steven Spooner one heard a warmth of touch and temperament that gave the sonata just the right adornment. Here was well-executed Beethoven.” “The Franck Sonata in A Major sounded just as embracing Sunday as it did Friday. What a delicious musical confection it is, and what a test for both instrumentalists. Maltinski’s interpretation was a winning one, generous in floating tones as well as flaming passage work, where called for. In total, his reading – beautifully complemented by Spooner – left a dreamy impression, almost other worldly in nature.”

Review of duo concert with violinist Leor Maltinski. Bloomington, IN 8/6/2002

– THE HERALD TIMES  

 

“The final pianist of the evening was Steven Spooner. He played Liszt’s reminiscences of Norma, a clever summary of music from Bellini’s most famous opera. And a complex one too. Spooner gave no ground to the challenges posed. Every trill, every sweetness, every climax was brought forth crisply and with sweeping authority.”

Review of Bellini/Liszt “Norma” Paraphrase. Bloomington, IN 2/26/1999

– THE HERALD TIMES  

 

“Louisiana-born Steven Spooner, 26, rounded out the program with enchanting interpretations of two Sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti–some of the most interesting pianistic characterizations of these harpsichord compositions one is apt to encounter… enchanting.”

Review of Hilton Head International Piano Competition winner’s recital 10/1996

– CAROLINA MORNING NEWS

Reviews from distinguished pianists