Jonathan Powell (musician)
Encyclopedia
Jonathan Powell is a British pianist and composer. He was a student of Denis Matthews
and Sulamita Aronovsky
. He made his performing debut at the age of 20 in the Purcell Room
in London
.
His repertoire is broad and ranges from Bach to many contemporary works (he is associated with composers as varied as Michael Finnissy
, John White
, Ambrosini
, Staud
and Sirodeau
). He specialises in the late Romantic era, and made his first acquaintance with Sorabji
's music, with which he has since become strongly associated, in 1984 through the radio broadcasts of Yonty Solomon
and through the scores that were then still published and available through Curwen. He was encouraged to contact the composer, and obtained copies of several later works which he premiered starting in 1990, and has been recording and performing regularly.
He has played Sorabji's complete Opus clavicembalisticum
(1929–30) at several concerts and both performed and premiered other works by Sorabji, including the substantial Fourth Piano Sonata (1928–29) and the 7-hour long Sequentia cyclica super "Dies irae" ex Missa pro defunctis in clavicembali usum (1948–49). He has also recorded CDs, of Sorabji's music and of others', for the Altarus
, Largo, Toccata
, ASV
and Danacord labels, including works by Alexander Goldenweiser, Joseph Marx
, Alexander Krein
, and others.
Denis Matthews
Denis Matthews was an English pianist and musicologist.Denis James Matthews was born in Coventry, the son of a motor salesman. He attended Arnold Lodge School, Leamington Spa, from 1927 to 1932 and Warwick School from October 1932 to the summer of 1936, when he left to study at the Royal Academy...
and Sulamita Aronovsky
Sulamita Aronovsky
Sulamita Aronovsky, born in Lithuania, is a classical pianist and piano teacher who spent her formative years in Russia, moving to London in 1971.Her teachers include Lev Barenboim, Abram Schatzkes, Grigory Ginsburg and Alexander Goldenweiser....
. He made his performing debut at the age of 20 in the Purcell Room
Purcell Room
The Purcell Room is a concert and performance venue which forms part of the Southbank Centre, one of central London's leading cultural complexes. It is named after the 17th century English composer Henry Purcell and has 370 seats....
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
His repertoire is broad and ranges from Bach to many contemporary works (he is associated with composers as varied as Michael Finnissy
Michael Finnissy
Michael Finnissy is an English composer and pianist. His music is characterised by the range of extremes often found in his work; opposing binary structures are found commonly, often seen as juxtaposing textures, register and tempi...
, John White
John White (composer)
John White is an English composer and musical performer.-Life:White trained and taught at the London Royal College of Music...
, Ambrosini
Marco Ambrosini
Marco Ambrosini is an Italian musician, composer and arranger living in Germany. - Studies :From 1971 to 1981, Ambrosini studied violin and viola and composition with Mario Perrucci at the "Instituto Musicale G.B.Pergolesi" in Ancona and at the conservatory "G.Rossini" in Pesaro.- Musician...
, Staud
Johannes Maria Staud
- Biography :Staud studied with, amongst others, Brian Ferneyhough and Michael Jarrell. He gained a publishing contract with Universal Edition in 2000, and since then has won numerous prizes, including a special music prize of the Austrian Republic , the composition award of the Salzburg Easter...
and Sirodeau
Christophe Sirodeau
Christophe Sirodeau is a French pianist and composer.He started to compose at the age of 10 and although mainly self-taught as a composer, he later consulted with the musicologist Vladimir Chinayev and the composer Victoria Borisova-Ollas...
). He specialises in the late Romantic era, and made his first acquaintance with Sorabji
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji
Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji was an English composer, music critic, pianist, and writer.-Biography:...
's music, with which he has since become strongly associated, in 1984 through the radio broadcasts of Yonty Solomon
Yonty Solomon
Jonathan " "Sir" Yonty" Solomon was a South African pianist who was soloist throughout the world with many of the most important symphony orchestras....
and through the scores that were then still published and available through Curwen. He was encouraged to contact the composer, and obtained copies of several later works which he premiered starting in 1990, and has been recording and performing regularly.
He has played Sorabji's complete Opus clavicembalisticum
Opus Clavicembalisticum
Opus clavicembalisticum is a solo piano piece composed by Kaikhosru Shapurji Sorabji, completed on June 26, 1930.The piece is notable for its length and difficulty: at the time of its completion it was the longest piano piece in existence. Its duration is around four hours, depending on tempo...
(1929–30) at several concerts and both performed and premiered other works by Sorabji, including the substantial Fourth Piano Sonata (1928–29) and the 7-hour long Sequentia cyclica super "Dies irae" ex Missa pro defunctis in clavicembali usum (1948–49). He has also recorded CDs, of Sorabji's music and of others', for the Altarus
Altarus Records
Altarus Records is a classical music record label.-Featured pianists:* Donna Amato* Joseph Banowetz* Charles Hopkins* John Ogdon* Jonathan Powell* Ronald Stevenson* Adam Wodnicki...
, Largo, Toccata
Toccata Classics
Toccata Classics is an independent British classic music label founded in 2005.The founder of Toccata Classics is Martin Anderson, a music journalist. The label was founded primarily to promote unrecorded works by lesser-known composers, including British composers...
, ASV
ASV Records
ASV Records is a London-based record label set up by Harley Usill, founder of Argo Records, Decca producer and former Argo General Manager, Kevin Daly, and producer Jack Boyce, after Argo's parent company Decca was bought by Polygram in 1980. ASV stands for "Academy Sound and Vision"...
and Danacord labels, including works by Alexander Goldenweiser, Joseph Marx
Joseph Marx
Joseph Rupert Rudolf Marx was an Austrian composer, teacher and critic.-Life and career:Marx pursued studies in philosophy, art history, German studies, and music at Graz University, earning several degrees including a doctorate in 1909. He began composing seriously in 1908 and over the next four...
, Alexander Krein
Alexander Krein
Alexander Krein was a Russian composer of Jewish heritage.-Background:The Krein family was steeped in the klezmer tradition; his father Abram was a noted violinist...
, and others.
External links
- Powell's Violin Sonata (2010) given its premiere by the composer and its dedicatee Sonia Suldina (violin) at the 2010 Indian Summer in Levoca Festival (YouTube)
- Powell playing pars prima of Opus clavicembalisticum by Sorabji
- Sonata No. 1 by Arnold BaxArnold BaxSir Arnold Edward Trevor Bax, KCVO was an English composer and poet. His musical style blended elements of romanticism and impressionism, often with influences from Irish literature and landscape. His orchestral scores are noted for their complexity and colourful instrumentation...
played by Powell (YouTube) - Little Suite and Passacaglia by Eugen SuchoňEugen SuchonEugen Suchoň was one of the greatest Slovak composers of the 20th century.-Early life:...
played by Powell (YouTube) - Etudes-Tableaux Op. 33 No. 1 by Sergei RachmaninoffSergei RachmaninoffSergei Vasilievich Rachmaninoff was a Russian composer, pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of the last great representatives of Romanticism in Russian classical music...
played by Powell (YouTube) - Symphony for Piano Solo, 3rd movement (Menuet) by Charles-Valentin AlkanCharles-Valentin AlkanCharles-Valentin Alkan was a French composer and one of the greatest virtuoso pianists of his day. His attachment to his Jewish origins is displayed both in his life and his work. He entered the Paris Conservatoire at the age of six, earning many awards, and as an adult became a famous virtuoso...
played by Powell (YouTube)