Angela Hewitt’s new album is clearly destined to become a favourite. Some of the best-known musical declarations of love across the centuries, heard in transcriptions by some of the great pianists (including Angela herself), this album is simply exquisite and not to be missed.
From Angela herself:
“It means a lot to me to present you with this recording, especially as it was made during a time of great isolation for us all. Love is what keeps us going—love in all its forms. To all those I have loved, love and will love still, and to all those who love me, I say a big thank you!”
Music was my refuge. I could crawl into the space between the notes and curl my back to loneliness.
– Maya Angelou
‘This is Hewitt close up and personal … here, she opens her soul … the impression she conveys is of someone sitting at home on their own as the light fades, playing some favourite music purely for their own enjoyment … this is a lovely recital, one to return to often’ (Gramophone)
‘Angela Hewitt’s spacious, uncluttered approach revels unashamedly in the pianism while still letting the original songs sing … the real treats are Hewitt’s own arrangements … the engaging liner notes weave a thread through Hewitt’s own memories as well as the parent music. In all, this beautifully recorded recital is a gift to all song-loving pianists who wrestle with the instrument’s stubbornly percussive nature’ (BBC Music Magazine)»
‘It’s a beautifully made collection … you can tell it means a great deal to Hewitt’ (BBC Record Review)
‘If, like me, you’ve appreciated Hewitt as a performer of control and precision, then prepare to throw your hat in the air listening to the wild rubato of Widmung (Schumann/Liszt), or thrill to her joyously uninhibited Cäcilie (Strauss/Reger). But even these are topped by two arrangements of her own, of Bist du bei mir (Stölzel attr. Bach) and the Adagietto from Mahler’s Symphony No 5’ (Pianist Magazine)
Label: Hyperion
Recording details: November 2020
Kulturstiftung Marienmünster, Germany
Produced by Ludger Böckenhoff
Engineered by Ludger Böckenhoff
Release date: July 2021
Total duration: 75 minutes 48 seconds
