Feb 12, 2011
What a debut it is: Whittall’s Leaves of Grass is a stunning work. One of its greatest assets is the structural and harmonic simplicity of much of the music: steeped in an easy Satiesque indolence of what are at times almost minimalist proportions, Whittall somehow fashions the material into one deeply evocative experience after another. Leaves of Grass is marvellously performed by Finnish pianist Risto-Matti Marin, a year younger than his friend Whittall, on this, his sixth solo CD. One of his most recent projects has been for Toccata, volume I of the piano transcriptions by August Stradal of all of Liszt’s Symphonic Poems. Such Lisztian virtuosity and stamina comes in handy for some of Whittall’s Preludes, but Marin is also a performer of immense subtlety, capable of the finest shadings of expression.”
“Byzantheon”, www.musicweb-international.com,12.2.2011
Oct 21, 2010
This is a fantastic performance: The slower sections are beautifully played, the more stormy and virtuosic sections are taken at a tremendous pace and the whole piece holds together. I can’t imagine a better performance of this [Die Ideale] piece in this transcription. I would award this accolade to the other pieces on the disc as well.
Liszt Society Review 21, 2010
Jul 7, 2010
August Stradalin laatimat Lisztin orkesterirunoelmien sovitukset ovat ällistyttäviä näytteitä Marinin osaamisesta. Tuttu Preludit kuulostaa taas mielenkiintoiselta, harvinainen Heroïde funèbre on matalan rekisterin ja uljaiden sointuvyörytysten tehoissaan suuren pianismin juhlaa. Ihmeen ehjästi Marin saa välitetyksi mitassaan ja tunnelmissaan haastavan Die Idealen.
Veijo Murtomäki, Helsingin Sanomat, 7.7.2010
Jun 10, 2010
This is the first Stradal-Liszt cycle. I expected it to be a curiosity only. In fact it is much better especially in the hands of Risto-Matti Marin… Marin is in splendid form throughout […] …this adds a munificent chapter to Liszt’s complete solo piano works to place alongside the major cycles by Leslie Howard and Gunnar Johansen. Toccata continue to challenge the listener who complains of the companies’ failure to move away from crossover and the common repertoire rut. More please
Rob Barnett, www.musicweb-international.com, 10.6.2010
Feb 24, 2010
A superb technique is required for these transcriptions and once again Risto-Matti Marin is more than up to the challenge.”
Liszt Society Review No. 30
Apr 9, 2009
Kokonaisuus on hienosti rakennettu: Mendelssohnista edetään Beethovenin kautta Miettiseen ja syvällisen Lisztin Hamlet-sävelrunon jälkeen Chopinin eloisat balladi ja etydi tuovat kuulijan takaisin pinnalle musiikillisen tarinankerronnan syvyyksistä. Risto-Matti Marinin soitto on upeasti hengittävää, keskittynyttä ja intensiivistä. Hän uskaltaa käyttää taukoja olennaisena osana musiikkia. Myös äänitys on varsin hyvin onnistunut.
Tommi Koskenheimo, Yle, 9.4.2009
