John Ireland Piano Works Vol. 3
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Lenehan effortlessly maintains the favourable impression left by the first two instalments in his series. With his pellucid, exquisitely variegated tonal palette, he makes a gorgeous thing of "The Almond Trees", plums real depths in "Cypress" from "Greenways" and masterminds superbly involving accounts of the gale-tossed "Equinox" and mercurial "Ballade of London Nights". What's more, he has been accorded crystal-clear yet nicely atmospheric engineering.
2008 brings us the long-anticipated sequel to 1999's second volume in Naxos' John Ireland piano music cycle. Since he began this project in 1995, pianist John Lenehan has grown more responsive to Ireland's impressionistic yet skillfully contrapuntal idiom, noticeably expanding his palette of nuances, colors, and articulations. Note, for example, how he focuses on On A Birthday Morning's emphatic melodic lilt and treats the thick chordal accompaniment as smooth, supportive padding. The Debussy-like passages throughout The Almond Trees and Amberly Wild Brooks (the second of the Two Pieces) are firmly etched and defined yet never at the expense of the long line, and that also applies to Lenehan's thoughtful animation of Equinox's swirling textures. As for the Piano Sonata, I waver between Lenehan and Eric Parkin. I admire Lenehan's ardent sweep and more generous pedaling in the outer movement's climaxes, yet gravitate toward Parkin's more luminous lyricism and superior legato touch in the slow movement. But that's splitting hairs. Besides, you can't disparage Naxos' price tag and first-class engineering, along with Lenehan's committed artistry. In all, a lovely release, warmly recommended.
Jed Distler - ClassicsToday.com
International Piano
(on the piano sonata) .....Lenehan's lively approach and well contrasted touch conveys the turbulence of the first movement and the modally influenced slow movement is given a wide range of expression. His strongly defined, extrovert playing brings the work to a triumphant end....Lenehan's playing is marked by effortlessly flowing lines shaped by elegant phrasing and an unerring sense of tempo that breathes fresh life into the music. Highly recommended.
Jed Distler - ClassicsToday.com
International Piano
(on the piano sonata) .....Lenehan's lively approach and well contrasted touch conveys the turbulence of the first movement and the modally influenced slow movement is given a wide range of expression. His strongly defined, extrovert playing brings the work to a triumphant end....Lenehan's playing is marked by effortlessly flowing lines shaped by elegant phrasing and an unerring sense of tempo that breathes fresh life into the music. Highly recommended.
