Schubert: Schwammerl

"For collectors of musical trivia, Schwammerl (little mushroom) was Schubert's nickname. It's also the title for Kemp English's superbly atmospheric recording of piano works played on an instrument familiar to his audiences. Recorded in Christchurch's St John of God Chapel, it's an absorbing performance. Playing a replica of an 1826 Viennese fortepiano made by instrument maker Paul Downie and owned by the University of Canterbury, Kemp doesn't miss a beat. Once the modern ear is accustomed to the sound, Schubert has rarely sounded so passionate and lyrical. A lovely disc and one to treasure."
Chris Moore, The Press, 13 November 2009

"This highly accomplished keyboard player was trained in England and now lives in New Zealand and, as this superb disc demonstrates, he is at home both in the music of Schubert and at the keyboard of a beautiful copy of an 1826 fortepiano by Conrad Graf made by Paul Downie. The instrument is a beauty, capturing the sounds of Schubert's time like an exquisite time capsule. Forget, while listening, all those Schubert recordings on a modern grand, and revel in the superb musicianship and wonderful technical control of English. It is the equal, in my view, of Schubert recordings by Andreas Staier on a similar Graf instrument, and I can think of no higher praise."
John Button, Dominion Post, 11 November 2009

After a gap of six years renowned New Zealand classical keyboard player Kemp English returns to the fortepiano with Schwammerl, his fifth solo release through Ode Records. This first ever recording of Canterbury University's stunning new eight foot long, six octave, four pedal, replica fortepiano built by master instrument maker Paul Downie, is a worthy successor to his critically acclaimed first fortepiano disc, Kemp English at the Fortepiano (CD Manu 5001). Always stretching the boundaries and never afraid of a challenge, Kemp English takes on Schubert's monumental last piano sonata, coupling it with the same composers magical set of pieces known as Moments Musicaux. The 1826 replica fortepiano used in this recording is ideal for this repertoire since Schubert had access, for the first time, to almost exactly the same kind of instrument in the last few months of his life. Replete with a myriad of tonal colours it sounds resplendent in a large, natural acoustic, recorded sympathetically to capture every subtle nuance. And why is the disc called Schwammerl? Because this was Schubert's affectionate nickname meaning "little mushroom"!