Piano Music Vol 3 (Incls Preludes)

"Austbø displays a superbly delicate touch [in the Preludes]. His attention to detail in expressing the intense poetry and profound sincerity of this music will immediately appeal to those still frightened by Messiaen's music."
- Répetoire (Philippe Simon), May, 2000

"Discussing previous volumes in this series (12/94 and 2/98) I've mentioned Austbo's subtle palette of keyboard colour, and his sensitive feeling for Messiaen's characteristic silences. I should have remarked-and it's evident here throughout the Preludes especially-upon his ability to produce different degrees of dynamic simultaneously, without the quieter elements ever being overwhelmed. It adds an almost three-dimensional quality to his sound. Which is not to say that his playing is ever austere or dry; indeed its primary characteristic is sheer tonal beauty, emphasised by what sounds lie a very fine piano in a pleasing acoustic (that of St Martin's Church, East Woodhay).

More spectacular pianism is called for in the vivid colours and juxtaposition of Canteyodjaya, of course, and Austbo provides it in fine measure, but even here sheer beauty of sound seems to have been a high imperative... Messiaen has been very fortunate in his keyboard interpreters. Austbo is among the best of them, and to have such playing available at such a low price is a cause for grateful rejoicing."
- Gramophone (Michael Oliver), Feb 2000

Hakon Austbo's third volume of Messiaen's Piano Music offers gorgeous sounds in the composer's early, post-Debussyan set of Preludes, plus the wirier exoticism of the four Rhythmic Studies inspired by Papuan native culture and Canteyodjaya-the title of which comes from Indian Karnatic theory of rhythm. Austbo's expertise ideally captures the verve and sweep of Canteyodjaya in particular.
- ClassicFM (Malcolm Hayes), April 2000