Search - Louis Moreau Gottschalk, Leonard Pennario :: Great American Piano I - Gottschalk / Leonard Pennario

Gottschalk Piano Music

Samuel Stephens | TN, USA | 08/01/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"This is the only CD of Gottschalk's music that I own, so I have no comment on the more famous Philip Martin series on Hyperion.



Gottschalk's music is lively, spicy, and thoroughly American. One of the best pieces on here is "The Banjo," which imitates the sound of a banjo quite convincingly. "Midnight in Seville" and "Pasquinade" are two more of his best works represented here. In fact, it's hard to decide which work to like best since they're all so characteristic.



Leonard Pennario (recently passed away, may he rest in peace) is a master at bringing out the Gottschalk flavors: the quick-finger "Banjo," the rollicking "Tournament Galop," and the gentle "Berceuse-Cradle Song."



As I said before, I don't know Philip Martin's playing on Hyperion, but this is just as great a place to star in Gottschalk piano music."

KEYBOARD FIREWORKS BUT FUZZY SOUND

DAVID SHERER | chevy chase, maryland United States | 03/28/2000

(4 out of 5 stars)

"LEONARD PENNARIO IS A VIRTUOSO AT THE KEYBOARD BUT NOT VERY WELL KNOWN IN THE GENERAL CLASSICAL SCENE. HIS NAME DOES NOT CARRY THE SAME RECOGNITION AS WATTS, ASHKENAZY, RICHTER OR AX BUT HIS PLAYING IS AS FLUID AND EXPRESSIVE. I GIVE HIM A LOT OF CREDIT FOR FOCUSING HIS TALENTS ON THIS LESSER KNOWN AMERICAN COMPOSER (HE HAS 2 ALBUMS ON THE ANGEL LABEL WITH THE MUSIC OF GOTTSCHALK) AND I'VE YET TO HEAR THE COMPOSER PLAYED WITH MORE FIRE AND BRILLIANCE. THE BOMBAST OF "THE UNION", "BAMBULA" AND "THE BANJO" ARE NICELY BALANCED BY THE TENDERNESS OF "THE DYING POET", "CRADLE SONG" AND "DANZA". THE PIANISM IS FLAWLESS YET THE RECORDING CAN SOUND FUZZY AND EVEN HARSH AT TIMES. DESPITE THE ACOUSTIC SHORTCOMINGS, THE 2 DISCS IN THE SERIES ARE A GREAT INTRODUCTION TO "AMERICA'S FIRST MUSICAL SUPERSTAR" AND THE LINER NOTES OFFER A FINE SYNOPSIS OF THE COMPOSER'S FASCINATING LIFE AND WORK."