5 stars for Yixiang Hou's release of 'Carnival' inspired music – with works by Schumann, Gibbons, Alkan and more
Yixiang Hou
Carnival: Schumann Carnaval plus solo piano works by Gibbon, Alkan, Schoenberg and Scriabin
KNS A/139
5 STARS
Themed discs can be disappointing with their awkward clash of musical styles and eras. Take this album by the young Chinese pianist Yixian Hou with its mix of works by composers ranging from Orlando Gibbons' Pavan in G minor to Schumann's Carnaval by way of Alkan's popular Le Festin d'Esope, Schoenberg's Drei Klavierstücke Op 11 and Scriabin’s Sonata No 9 'Black Mass'. Where's the connection? In fact, it lies in Hou's sensitive and lyrical playing.
The Gibbons was new to me and Hou's lush performance of this timeless piece is well judged. The Alkan that follows is an inspired piece of programming, Hou's playing polished and brilliant. The Schoenberg plunges us into a mysterious world but one that Hou manages to make musical sense of, like a guide with a torch. Again, the Scriabin is the perfect follow-up. Never rushed, Hou lets the music breathe and, crucially, speak.
Finally, Carnaval which, in its reassuringly familiar tonality, is like the return of an old friend. Hou's playing is a triumph.
John Evans