Domenico Codispoti plays with a warmth and fervour worthy of Cortot himself. His sonority, too, has an Arrau-like fullness and richness. In the breathless second-movement Allegro, Codispoti gives us an impetus and virtuosity to set pulses racing. There is no less superb sense of alternating heartache and heart-ease in Bauer’s incense-laden arrangement of the Prelude, Fugue and Variation and in the once widely played Prelude, Choral et Fugue, a total response to Franck whether anguished or seraphic. All this and more is enough to make you fall in love all over again with Franck’s instantly recognisable, indeed, indelible idiom.
Bryce Morrison, GramophoneDomenico Codispoti is a sophisticated and poetic pianist who gives imaginative and refined performances of Liszt’s Sonata in b minor, the Petrarch Sonnets, and Granados’s El Amor y la Muerte. Codispoti consistently produces a beautiful singing tone, with every note carefully weighted and voiced. His conception of the Sonata is enormous and majestic; the three sonnets are more languid than impassioned, but exhibit an exquisite lyricism. An outstanding recording.
Stephen Pierce, Clavier CompanionA distinguished performer with a formidable technique. His account of Liszt’s Sonata is gripping from start to finish
Guy Rickards, International PianoCésar Francks A-Dur Violinsonate zählt sicherlich zu den schönsten und bedeutendsten französischen Komponitionen für diese Gattung – zutiefst romantisch, kontrapunktisch und thematisch wunderbar gearbeitet. Kann man sich ein solch innig–singuläres Kammerwerk, in welchem die Geige herrliche Kantilenen singt, in einer auf das „nackte” Klavier reduzierten Bearbeitung vorstellen? Und wie man das kann! – Wenn ein begnadeter Pianist am Werk ist und die Transkriptionen aus der Feder eines versierten Tastenvirtuosin stammt. Beide Voraussetzungen sind hier in geradezu idealerweise gegeben: Alfred Cortots genialische Klavierfassung trifft auf einen Pianisten, der die technischen und geistigen Dimensionen der Sonate kongenial erfasst und die Seele dieser romantischen Musik zum Sprechen bringt, dass sie einerseits zu Herzen geht und anderseits den Intellekt anregt. Ja, das ist eine wohl proportionierte und dramaturgisch klug gestaltete Lesart, die von großer innerer Ruhe geleitet wird. Auch die Bearbeitung des „Prélude, Fugue et Variation” op. 18 für Solo-Klavier aus der Feder des Paderewski-Schülers Harald Bauer und Francks „Prélude, Choral et Fugue” geraten unter den Fingern von Domenico Codispoti zu Meisterstücken im besten Sinne des Wortes”.
Burkhard Schäfer, Piano NewsWieck fue una de las pianistas más notorias de su tiempo. Como compositora, se ciñó a su instrumento y, en lo estético, estuvo más cerca de Fanny Mendelssohn que de Robert Schumann, su cónyuge. Compuso series de piezas breves en un acogedor clima Biedermeier, basado en un vínculo de intimidad y sabiduría pianísticas. Codispoti está ejemplar por su acendrado estilismo y su brillo ante el teclado.
Blas Matamoro, Scherzo„Codispoti’s Liszt is deliberate and expansive, polished and technically adept. His sonata is steady and mature. His tone is broad, with a lovely sound. It is nice to see the three Sonnets done exquisitely
American Record GuideA fully mature virtuoso in the highest meaning of the word, the one that brings forth the foremost characteristics of a piece and a composer on the costs of ego-tripping show off. With strong power and passion, but always perfectly precise and living insight with the widest dynamics and tension of the creative spirit of each composer.
A performance fully worth the praise given by the audience, on their feet at the end of his playing.
Ríkarður Örn Pálsson, Morgunbladid, ReykjavikHis traversal of Schumann’s Davidsbundlertänze was a joy to behold. Each short movement had a life of its own, imbued with the diametrically opposed characters of Florestan and Eusebio, and strung along by a skilled storyteller. Always imaginative and inventive, his Takemitsu was also a pleasure. He truly found the spirit of Zen in Litany no.1, making it sound genuinly like gagaku
Chang Tou-Liang, www.flyinginkpot.com, Hong KongMr. Codispoti’s playing was outstanding. Not only did he have the complicated technical details perfectly in his powers, but his interpretation of this complex piece was unusually convincing. All ascends to powerful climaxes were thougthfully carried out, with wide dynamic range without the tone in the most powerful parts being too harsh or too flat in the pianissimo sections. The sound of the piano was beautiful and exquisite, both extremely soft and delicate but also broad and omnipresent embracing. In short this was one of the most impressive interpretation of Liszt’s Sonata I’ve ever heard. This was indisputably a fantastic recital featuring a unique pianist.
Jonas Sen, Morgunbladid, ReykjavikA pianist with an expressive, powerful sound, and able to control it with astounding technique. In the monumental Chopin’s Sonata op.58 he showed his most intimate side, that “story-teller” he succeeds to be in every work he plays.
A magnificent version of Rachmaninov’s Sonata no.2, where he was able to loose all artillery, with the manners and the presence of a mature artist.
Juan A.Gordòn, Heraldo de Aragon