Pianist Peter Donohoe - CD Review, October 10th, 2024

Robert Schumann - "Abegg" Variations in F Major Op. 1; Frederic Chopin - Waltzes; Maurice Ravel - Valses nobles et sentimentales

In November 2023, the English pianist Peter Donohoe recorded his latest record, released in September 2024, at the Menuhin Hall in Stoke d'Abernon. The record featureswaltzes by Robert Schumann, Frederic Chopin, Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy.

Peter Donohoe, now 71, has distinguished himself throughout his impressive career in the Romantic and Modern repertoire, releasing 27 albums so far, having also taken on the music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart in a recent six-disc set thathas beenpraisedby international critics.

The English musician was born on June 18th, 1953,in Manchester, studied at Chetham School of Music, then at the University of Leeds, at the Royal Northern College of Music with Derek Wyndham and in Paris with Olivier Messiaen and Yvonne Loriod. In 1982, he won the International Tchaikovsky Competition andhassince developed a successful concert career, performing with all the majorLondon orchestras as well as with other ensembles from Europe and the United States, being prized, in particular, for his stylistic versatility, his impeccable technique and his extraordinary musicianship - all qualities which can be appreciated while listening to his most recent album, released by the British record label Somm Recordings.

Peter Donohoe, whomwe were able to see performin Bucharest as well in recent years as part of the George Enescu Festival and Competition, holds honorary degrees fromacademic institutions in Great Britain and has been a jury memberofmajor international competitions - The Queen Elisabeth Competition in Brussels, the Hong Kong Competition, the Artur Rubinstein Piano Master Competition and the Geneva International Music Competition. Heis also successfully continuinghis concert activity and his recording projects, demonstrating beyond doubt that he is a well-rounded and respected musician in the British cultural space.