Brian Chapple is a British composer of great skill who has not yet been as fully recognised as he deserves. This CD includes music for both solo piano and piano duo, demonstrating a range of styles from the very serious "Requies" to the fun-filled and jazz-inspired "Burlesque". As ever, performed to perfection by Anthony Goldstone and Caroline Clemmow.
"...So engrossed was I by this sonata that I took Anthony Goldstone’s superb pianism for granted. His performance really is magnificent... Caroline Clemmow’s playing of these pieces is wonderful and contributes much to the works cohesion. The richness of her playing towards the end of the work is superb...The disc ends with Four Pieces from ‘A Bit of a Blow’ for piano duet. No wonder a previous version of this music for solo piano was entitled ‘Swing’s the Thing’ as jazz rhythms embrace these pieces in a piano performance of style and panache showing this duo’s astonishing artistry and versatility. Bruce Reader - The ClassicalReviwer.com - August 2012
“ It is a great pleasure to be able to welcome a disc of unfamiliar music by a composer who is not well known but who has something to say and the ability to say it interestingly and economically. [His music exhibits] careful craftsmanship and precision of effect. The present disc offers a useful and enjoyable overview of his music in recent years and raises the obvious question as to why music of such quality is not heard more often. The playing of both players seems wholly convincing, and indeed wholly at the service of the music. There are full and useful notes and the recording quality is excellent. I very much hope that Divine Art will have the success they deserve with this enterprising and very enjoyable disc.”
John Sheppard
