News & Press

• The SunBreak, Seattle

  “First-class pianists are plentiful, judging by the number of them who come through Seattle every year, either in recital or playing with the Seattle Symphony. Each of them is rewarding to hear, even though it is impossible to go and hear all of them. But among this pantheon of very fine musicians, a few stand out. Imogen Cooper is one of them…

  What’s so special about this 68-year-old British performer? Cooper’s playing draws the listener in. She is never bombastic, although she can and does encompass the entire volume range, but always, always in service to the music. Every note seems to be considered for itself and its place in the overall phrase…

  She brought out the differences in each individual Beethoven bagatelle, from gentle to staccato, assertive to bouncy. The second movement of the well-known Haydn sonata had an introspective feel effective at the slower tempo, while the Haydn Variations felt full of light, and she somehow caused the notes to ring like small bells, while at the end, there was a sense of pain and mournfulness. It ended very quietly.”

  Philipa Kiraly, The SunBreak