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Hiroaki Takenouchi’s latest CD and the launch concert at St James’s Piccadilly

Pianist Hiroaki Takenouchi launches a new recording of works by William Sterndale Bennett and Robert Schumann on the Artalinna label at a lunchtime concert at London’s St James’s Piccadilly on Monday 8th May 2017.

Hiroaki Takenouchi has been keen to champion the music of English Romantic composer, William Sterndale Bennett, (1816 – 1875), who was considered one of the most captivating piano virtuosos of his time and was later to have significant influence on English music, as a teacher and promoter.  His new recording introduces Bennett’s magnum opus; the Piano Sonata Op.13 in F minor of 1837, which is dedicated to Mendelssohn.  Accompanying this work is Robert Schumann’s masterpiece for piano, Symphonic Etudes, of 1834, which is dedicated to Bennett.

For this concert, the pianist will perform Sterndale Bennett’s Three Romances Op.14 and the Schumann’s  Symphonic Etudes.

Heralded by The Times as “just the sort of champion the newest of new music needs”, while being praised as “impeccable in his pianism and unfailing in his idiomatic grasp” by Gramophone, Takenouchi’s curiosity and a natural penchant for integrity makes his playing and vast repertoire unique amongst his generation of pianists: his love for the music of classical masters – particularly Haydn, Beethoven and Chopin – sits side by side with his passion for the music of Medtner, lesser-known British composers such as Sterndale Bennett and Parry, and the contemporary repertoire.

As a soloist, he has appeared on many concert platforms including the Wigmore Hall, Tokyo Opera City and the South Bank Centre. He has also performed at festivals in Bath, Cheltenham and Salzburg and given recitals in the UK, Japan, Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy and Canada. His more unusual recent projects include: the Rarities of Piano Repertoire Festival in Husum (Germany); a BBC Four documentary The Prince and the Composer on the life and music of Parry introduced by HRH The Prince of Wales; BBC Radio 3’s Composer of the Week on piano solo works by Sterndale Bennett broadcast April 2016, and the piano solo works of Alexander Campbell Mackenzie, broadcast in February 2017.

Takenouchi’s discography includes Haydn: Four Sonatas (Artalinna), which was rewarded an ‘ffff’ Télérama; Cosmos Haptic: Contemporary Piano Music from Japan (LORELT), as well as the world première recordings of works by James Dillon (NMC), Edwin Roxburgh (NMC) and Jeremy Dale Roberts (LORELT). There have been two piano arrangement recordings of Delius’s orchestral works (for SOMM with Simon Callaghan), and Piano Concertos by Georgy Catoire and Percy Sherwood with Martin Yates and Royal Scottish National Orchestra on Dutton Epoch, in another world première recording.

More information about the concert at St James’s Piccadilly on 8th May at 1.10pm

Purchase the new recording of works by William Sterndale Bennett and Robert Schumann from Artalinna (ATL A018).

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