Three-time Juno-nominee Stewart Goodyear Announces New Recording on Orchid Classics

Orchid Classics is proud to announce the release of Ravel from pianist Stewart Goodyear in May 2017.

This forthcoming release was recorded in Paris and explores the early music of one of the greatest composers for the piano: Maurice Ravel. Stewart enthused:

“Ravel was a long time coming. I first heard Bolero and wore out that album. Then, I was just inspired to listen to every single piece that Ravel wrote … every piece that he wrote for piano, it felt adventurous it felt revolutionary. I was seduced, inspired, sometimes frightened but I couldn’t let go of Ravel and I had to do this album.”

Stewart is a three-time Juno award nominee having recently been nominated for his own transcription of Tchaikovsky's "The Nutcracker (Complete Ballet)”. All of the works featured on Ravel were written within just ten years of the composer’s early career (1899–1909). The earliest two works bookend the disc – Jeux d’eau and Pavane Pour Une Infante Defunte. Both were composed whilst Ravel was studying composition at the Conservatoire de Paris under Gabriel Fauré but use contrasting musical language. While Jeux d’eau is harmonically adventurous and exudes the nature of playing water, Pavane is much more subtle and delicate - enticing listeners with what lies in store from the composer, a fitting close to the album.

Here's a trailer for the album...