MARBECKS COLLECTABLE: John Chen - Fountains: Piano impressions

"Chen is a fine musician who uses his technique fully at the service of the composer, indeed, there is much more Debussy and Ravel here than Chen because he has not imposed himself between us and the music. The recording is bright and clear, the piano situated a little way from the microphone, thus giving a feeling of sitting in a concert hall a few rows from the stage. The notes are good, and this is a very enjoyable disk in every way, and well worth having purely for the marvellous playing if nothing else!"
(Music Web Nov 2008)

The names Debussy and Ravel are synonymous with dreamy, contemplative, sublime and slightly quirky music. Their works for solo piano remain touchstones for performers, requiring consummate musicianship and sensitivity. This CD from John Chen is his debut solo album with ABC Classics. In 2004, at the age of 18, John Chen became the youngest-ever winner of the prestigious Sydney International Piano Competition. He was also awarded special prizes for best performance of works by Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert, Chamber Music, and the 19th/20th Century Concerto. This followed his win in the third Lev Vlassenko Australasian Piano Competition in Brisbane in 2003, where he swept all the special prizes.