James Willshire – Stevenson – Passacaglia on DSCH (2013/2017) [Official Digital Download 24bit/48kHz]

James Willshire – Stevenson – Passacaglia on DSCH (2013/2017)
FLAC (tracks) 24 bit/48 kHz | Time – 02:20:35 minutes | 1,18 GB | Genre: Classical
Studio Masters, Official Digital Download | Front Cover | © Delphian Records

Music of extraordinary range and power composed at the dawn of the Space Age, Ronald Stevenson’s ‘Passacaglia on DSCH’ was long claimed as the biggest single stretch of music ever written for piano. It is a veritable world tour of styles as well as a single-minded exploration of its generating motif, and rising star James Willshire, Who received five-star acclaim in 2011 for his Delphian debut disc of music by Rory Boyle, has the technique and vaulting ambition to match both the work’s grandeur and its immense wealth of detail.

Willshire gave the 1955 ‘Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti’ its belated concert premiere just this year, and now commits it to disc as one of a number of premiere recordings. The more recent, and equally substantial ‘Fugue, Variations and Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax’ crystallises Stevenson’s lifelong devotion to a Celtic aesthetic as well as being the foreground for his innovative approach to variation technique. A clutch of shorter works completes the picture, bringing to light some of Stevenson’s less often remarked qualities: charm, exuberance, wit and grace. In 2000, at the age of 15, James was awarded an Educational Scholarship in the London International Piano Competition, the youngest British pianist to be thus recognised. He has performed at festivals throughout the UK and abroad, including the Lichfield, Cheltenham and Winchester Festivals and many more.

“All the works on this disc are stunningly played: the technical difficulties are overcome with boundless skill. Willshire is a tremendous advocate for Stevenson’s music.” (MusicWeb International)

“Willshire’s pianism often evokes Stevenson’s own incisively sprung rhythms and sharp dynamic contrasts” (Gramophone Magazine)

“The surprise is how charming his music can be, when it is not weighed down by his cleverness. He can slyly wrong-foot us with waltzes, or beguile with a serene homage…Bach is a constant presence, as is Stevenson’s hero Busoni…It’s hard to imagine this music better played: Willshire deserves a medal.” (BBC Music Magazine)

Tracklist:

01. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 1: Sonata allegro (07:06)
02. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 1: Waltz in Rondo-form (03:06)
03. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 1: Episode 1, Presto (00:29)
04. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 1, Suite: I-VII. — (13:16)
05. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 1, Suite: IX. Pibroch (Lament for Children) (02:42)
06. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 1, Suite: X. Episode 2, Arabesque variations (00:44)
07. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 1, Suite: XI. Nocturne (02:14)
08. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Reverie-fantasy (04:28)
09. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Fanfare-Forebodings. Alarm-Glimpse of a War Vision (02:16)
10. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Variations on Peace, Bread and the Land (1917) (02:19)
11. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Symphonic March (02:13)
12. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Episode 3, Volante scherzoso (00:58)
13. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Fandango (02:05)
14. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Pedal-point “To Emergent Africa” (02:19)
15. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Central Episode. Etudes (04:00)
16. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Variations in C Minor (03:35)
17. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 2: Adagio. Tribute to Bach (01:48)
18. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 3, Triple Fugue over Ground Bass: Subject 1, Andamento (06:00)
19. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 3, Triple Fugue over Ground Bass: Subject 2, BACH (06:50)
20. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 3, Triple Fugue over Ground Bass: Subject 3, Dies Irae (06:18)
21. James Willshire – Passacaglia on DSCH, Pt. 3: Final Variations on Theme Derived from Ground. Adagissimo barocco (10:30)
22. James Willshire – Promenade Pastorale (02:58)
23. James Willshire – Waltzes (08:24)
24. James Willshire – Fugue, Variations & Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax: I. Fugue Without Protocol (Tema locriano) (04:58)
25. James Willshire – Fugue, Variations & Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax: I. Transition to Movement II (01:25)
26. James Willshire – Fugue, Variations & Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax: IIa. Intermezzo-notturno. Omaggio a John Field (01:23)
27. James Willshire – Fugue, Variations & Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax: IIb. Alla giga (00:44)
28. James Willshire – Fugue, Variations & Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax: IIc. Marcia funebre (Lento ma con moto) (01:20)
29. James Willshire – Fugue, Variations & Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax: IId. Allegro quasi feroce (01:00)
30. James Willshire – Fugue, Variations & Epilogue on a Theme by Arnold Bax: III. Epilogue (05:54)
31. James Willshire – Nocturne “Homage to John Field” (05:58)
32. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Tema. Moviemento di sarabanda-Riflessione del tema-Transizione (01:17)
33. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 1, Con moto amabile (00:22)
34. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 2 (00:19)
35. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 3, Più mosso (Circa allegro) (00:20)
36. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 4, Poco meno mosso (00:22)
37. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 5 (00:31)
38. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 6, Sostenuto solenne (01:13)
39. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 7, Alla marcia, molto moderato e quasi automa (01:00)
40. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 8, Andante cantabile (00:54)
41. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 9, Un po’ più mosso (Moderato) (00:26)
42. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 10, Allegretto squisito (00:28)
43. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 11, Alla siciliana (Allegretto grazioso) (00:30)
44. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 12, Alla barcarolla (01:02)
45. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 13, Alla tarantella (00:23)
46. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 14, Allegro (01:48)
47. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 15, Sostenuto (00:32)
48. James Willshire – Variations on a Theme of Pizzetti: Var. 16 (02:03)
49. James Willshire – Piano Sonatina No. 2: I. Adagietto (03:10)
50. James Willshire – Piano Sonatina No. 2: II. Allegro (04:15)

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