Category Archives: Pitman Reviews
John Pitman Review: Sheku Kanneh-Mason’s “Song”
All Classical Portland Program Director John Pitman shares his latest review of a new album by British cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason. The album is called “Song,” and is available now on Decca Records. Back in January 2022, (which simultaneously feels like yesterday and a decade ago) I interviewed both Sheku and his sister, Isata Kanneh-Mason, about …
John Pitman Review: Summerland – Premieres by William Grant Still
All Classical Portland Program Director John Pitman shares his latest review of a new collection of works by William Grant Still. Regarded by many as the most important black classical composer of the 20th century, and indeed called “Dean of Afro-American Composers” in his lifetime, William Grant Still (1895-1978) remains an important figure in the …
John Pitman Review: Corazón – An American cellist’s impressions of Latin America
All Classical Portland Program Director John Pitman shares his latest conversation with American cellist John-Henry Crawford. Corazón is Crawford’s second release and reflects the cellist’s own experiences in performing in Mexico and Central America, as well as visiting family members there, such as his brother who is a member of the Peace Corps. Corazón reunites …
John Pitman Review: Simone Dinnerstein’s Trilogy is complete, with Undersong
Program director John Pitman shares his latest conversation with pianist Simone Dinnerstein, where they discuss her new CD titled Undersong. Dinnerstein chose this word, an archaic term meaning “refrain”, which can be found both in the individual pieces (Schumann’s Arabesque, and Kreisleriana; Couperin’s Les Barricade Mysterieuses), and throughout the entire program. Hear more of their …
John Pitman Review: Víkingur Ólafsson explores Mozart & Contemporaries
In his newest recording for Deutsche Grammophon (released September, 2021), Icelandic pianist Víkingur Ólafsson explores Mozart’s music in the context of composers who came before him and who helped Mozart shape his distinctive and immediately recognizable style. Ólafsson speaks with program director John Pitman about how he made connections between Mozart and Carl Philipp Emanuel …
John Pitman Review: Sheku and Isata find their “Muse”
“Muse” is the name of the debut recording by cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, and his sister, pianist Isata Kanneh-Mason. The siblings have recorded together before, in the 2020 release, “Carnival of the Animals”, and have performed live many times. “Muse” includes two major 20th century cello sonatas, by Samuel Barber (1932); and Sergei Rachmaninov (1901), as …
John Pitman Review: Berlin-based Seong-Jin Cho Returns to Chopin
John Pitman, All Classical Portland’s Director of Music and Programming, interviews pianist Seong-Jin Cho about the sixth and latest album. Returning to the music of Frédéric Chopin with Chopin: Piano Concerto No. 2, Cho’s CD was recorded in April of 2021, in Hamburg and London. Seong-Jin shares with John the process, and the special challenges, …
John Pitman Review: Record label gives Jean-Yves Thibaudet “Carte Blanche”
To mark a milestone birthday and celebrate a new chapter in his relationship with the label, French pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet was given “carte blanche” by the Decca classical label to choose personal music that he has never recorded before—a selection that reflects on the people and pieces that have impacted his life as an artist …
John Pitman Review: “Fire and Light” by Chickasaw composer, Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ Tate
John’s guest is Jerod Impichchaachaaha’ (Im-pih-CHAH-chah-ha) Tate, whose 2009 composition, Lowak Shoppala’ (LO-wak SHO-pah-la), an epic retelling of Chickasaw stories, received its world premiere recording this year. Jerod shares his own stories of growing up in a household of Western classical music, and strong ties to his indigenous roots as well. Buy “Fire and Light” …
John Pitman Review: Roots: Debut recording by violinist Randall Goosby
John interviews Randall Goosby, whose debut on the Decca label, “Roots,” was released this summer (and is being played on All Classical Portland regularly). The disc is an exploration of music written by Black composers and of composers inspired by Black American culture. Randall tells John Pitman about the importance and responsibility of bringing underrepresented …
