New Focus Recordings expands its representation of iconic works from the solo piano repertoire with this recital release of works by Carter, Stravinsky, and Schumann, performed with grace and precision by pianist Eric Huebner.
Highlights from recent reviews
"Huebner holds his own, bringing an unexpectedly plaintive, almost Brahmsian lyricism to the [Carter] piece, emphasizing the contrasts between its granitic, chorale-like sections and its brilliant passagework...
...Huebner, loosening the rhythms and giving some brassy boost to the big climaxes, conjures up an invisible ballet, returning the [Three] Movements to their heritage on the stage." -Russell Platt, The New Yorker, 6/27/2015
"Huebner’s sharp rhythms and attention to detail help convey the largescale development of the [Carter] work. The same precision is deployed in a restrained, yet rich Petroushka." -Sang Woo Kang, © 2015 American Record Guide
"This is an excellent recording, with the Carter and Stravinsky particularly fine." - Clavier Companion, January 2016
"It is, however, his playing of three movements from Stravinsky’s Petrouchka that really tempts one to reach for superlatives. While many pianists begin the Danse Russe at full throttle, Huebner holds back throughout this section and saves his energy for the maniacal marathon of playing required for La semaine grasse. His clarity and endurance are truly impressive. Better still is the intervening movement, Chez Petrouchka, which I have never heard played with such impish energy and mysticism. He uses the silence between notes to powerful effect and adds unexpected hesitations to rests. It’s a brilliant performance." - The Whote Note, March 2016