Product Description

Proclaimed "a phenomenon" by the Los Angeles Times and "one of the best pianists of his generation" by the Philadelphia Inquirer, Stewart Goodyear is an accomplished young pianist as a concerto soloist, chamber musician, recitalist and composer. In March 2015, Stewart played all 32 Beethoven sonatas in recital, in a single day, in Dallas TX. Mr. Goodyear's recording of Tchaikovsky's First Piano Concerto and Grieg's Piano Concerto, with the Czech National Symphony under Stanislav Bogunia, was released to critical acclaim on the Steinway and Sons label in June 2014. For his third Steinway & Sons label release, the Canadian, by way of Toronto, pianist returns to the music of Tchaikovsky, only this time with a world premiere recording, of the complete Nutcracker ballet arranged for and recorded on solo piano. "A high-octane performance that punches above it's weight." - Gramophone Magazine on Tchaikovsky & Grieg Concertos (STNS 30035) "Exultantly phrased, expertly articulated and expansively engineered... first-rate..." - BBC Music Magazine on Rachmaninov Concertos 2 & 3 (STNS 30047)

Review

"Mr. Goodyear channeled his love for the work into his own elaborate, detailed and utterly captivating arrangement for solo piano, which he plays magnificently on this new recording...Goodyear honors Tchaikovsky's music through his ingenious arrangement."
--Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, November 4, 2015

"Most of Stewart Goodyear's performance of his piano arrangement of Tchaikovsky's complete The Nutcracker is so good that a listener can do little more than sit back slack-jawed at the constant stream of revelatory moments in this exceptionally well-played version of thrice-familiar music that sounds amazingly fresh and new on an outstanding Steinway & Sons SACD..."

"... this entire recording is not to be missed: it is one of the best piano releases of the year and, even more amazingly, it is simply one of the very best versions of The Nutcracker available."
-- Infodad.com, November 12, 2015

"...This tour de force of transcribing ingenuity and virtuoso stamina is on par with Liszt's Beethoven symphony transcriptions, and equally rewarding from both pianistic and musical vantage points..."

"...the same remarkable level as this release and his complete Beethoven sonata cycle, I know at least one composer/pianist/Gramophone reviewer who will die of envy!"
--Jed Distler, Gramophone, December 2015

"A piano arrangement of Tchaikovsky's beloved ballet score "The Nutcracker" may sound like a gimmick. Take my word for it: Mr. Goodyear's faithful, detailed and quite ingenious piano arrangement is delightful and revealing. Without the orchestral colors, you hear details in the music freshly. And his playing is superb." --Anthony Tommasini, The New York Times, December 10, 2015

Artistic Quality: 10
Sound Quality: 10

...you gain a new appreciation for the fecundity of Tchaikovsky s melodic and harmonic invention in Goodyear s exceptionally accomplished performance.

Steinway s recording presents the piano naturally in an ideally balanced acoustic space, so nothing gets in the way of your enjoyment. Highly recommended. --Victor Carr Jr. --Classics Today Review - Stewart Goodyear's Magical Nutcracker Piano Solo

• Is Discontinued By Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ No
• Product Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.63 x 5 x 0.28 inches; 2.19 ounces
• Manufacturer ‏ : ‎ Steinway & Sons
• Original Release Date ‏ : ‎ 2015
• Date First Available ‏ : ‎ September 8, 2015
• Label ‏ : ‎ Steinway & Sons
• Number of discs ‏ : ‎ 1