Rave
Comments & Reviews
“gems” -Billboard-
“marvelous and stunning” -Gramophone Japan-
“astonishing…it's hard to believe that she doesn't
have an extra hand or two…incredible…a tour de force…if you want to be
wowed by some staggering piano playing, have a
listen.”
“brilliant...The
luxurious and stately chords were there to generate glistening swirls of
partials, which Ms. Okashiro was able to bring forward and sculpt, as if
her hands had been inside the piano”
“an appealing
colorist” -
New York Times-
“I'm still innocent enough to sit in open-mouthed
awe at something like Chitose Okashiro's consummate technical
mastery”
“Stay tuned to the idiomatic performances of Richter, Neuhaus,
Okashiro, Fyodorova and
Sofronitsky” -
American Record Guide-
“fabulous - how many hands does she
have?- ”
“dazzling” “Her playing is always distinctive and
quite
extraordinary.”
- Fanfare-
“she is a pianist of phenomenal talent…a formidable
pianist…to my utter astonishment, I was completely bowled over by
it…red-raw, blood-curdling musicianship…breathtaking performance…
sheer block-busting…astonishingly
audacious”
-MusicWeb
International, England-
“extremely wonderful performance -almost uncanny- …she is no ordinary mortal as expected…astonishing” -Usen Music, Japan-
“She's so incredibly poetic, even in the terrifying
fast pieces, that one can't help being bowled
over...unreal...terrific…surprising technical acumen and tasteful use of
rubato…ravishing.”
“Yet one has to admit that they (Horowitz, and the
grand Russian manner, Ashkenazy) - and most others - seem slightly
unseasoned. Okashiro's distinguished readings vault to the top of current
listings for their uncanny insight into the body and soul of Scriabin's
complexity.”
-In Tune-
“it is one of the major assets for us to discover
the recording of Chitose Okashiro…strikes me by her direction of the
characterization and its density.”
“the remarkably effective and
powerful approach…she spares no pains to accentuate contrasts and the
creativity.”
- Diapason, France-
“completely enthralling…the result is superb with
expressive density…the emotion is unquestionably happening there for the
artist’s color of the sound, dynamic dimension and fantastic
accelerations…Simply listen to her mastery of the frenzied counter-melody
in Scherzo movement; it is astounding with delicacy and
poetry!”
- Classica, France-
“discovery of a major pianist” - Repertoire, France-
“an irreproachable interpretation of virtuosity and
intelligence”
- Piano Magazine, France
“a marvelous interpreter and a grandioso technician
figure as one only rarely gets to
hear…outstanding”
- Piano News, Germany
“a young artist of genius in the true sense of the
word”
“ it’s so perfect that there is no space to
complain”
“incredibly insightful…truly extraordinary…dyed-in-the-wool
Scriabin
player”
“mesmerizing” -Art
of Record, Friend of Music, Japan-
“remarkable...Okashiro plays with unremitting
intensity and virtuosity, producing showers of prismatic notes. At the end
you think, ‘Wow!’ ....played with subtlety and gorgeous tonal
effect.”
“You can’t listen to this gripping performance just once.
Okashiro is a virtuoso in the best sense of the term.”
-Boston Patriot Ledger-
“like having Franz Liszt stopping in to show the
room full of notes”
-Sunday Gazette-
“unusually colorful and richly varied readings...shade her sound in the manner of a Renoir pastel” -CD Review of the Week-
“magical…the most intelligent and stimulating piano recitals I have encountered” -Newbie's Guide To Classical CD
Rave
Comments from Colleague
...talented, courageous and intelligent, Chitose Okashiro
embodies the essence of the coming generation of keyboard redeemers:
a pianist who is true to her own Self and her Art...a young Pianist for
the time being, indeed...but above all, a Pianist for all
Seasons.
Michel Block, Pianist
...Since 1969, I have worked with nearly every major
classical pianist, and have listened to them on countless occasions. In
that time, Martha Argerich, Claudio Arrau, Olli Mustonen, Alexis
Weissenberg, Krystian Zimerman, Ivo Pogorelich and Chitose Okashiro have
impressed me most with their special pianistic skills. Miss Okashiro is my
favorite pianist because she is a true musical poet...yet fame has alluded
her until now. Therefore, my profound thrill is to have been able to
recognize her greatness...a greatness which does not thrash about and kick
and excite one’s visual senses...but a greatness which one appreciates
amid silence and contemplation...by merely listening to her miraculous
musical
mind.
Ricard de La Rosa, President, Pro Piano & Pro Piano
Records
... I’ve been listening to the new Okashiro recording a lot
because, quite simply, she’s brilliant!! I hesitate to make statement like
this, but I think this may be the best recording of Scriabin’s music I’ve
ever heard, including Marc-Andre Hamlin’s recording of Sonatas,
a
recording and pianist I like very
much.
Steven I Cantor, Radio Station KOPB, Portland OR
... an impressive technical and intellectual coup of rare
imaginative refinement... (this disc by itself) would be justification and
vindication of the Pro Piano label; along with its already formidable
catalogue of performers and repertoire, it is a stunning records addition
to an important source of keyboard
literature.
Gary
Lemco, Classical DisCDigest Magazine
... Bravo---- Chitose Okashiro’s Scriabin CD reveals a
refined sensitivity and touch in behalf of valuable and otherwise obscure
music. The sound is lovely and her devotion is manifest.
...the thoughtfulness and poetry of her piano playing is
decidedly unconventional and
welcome
Russell Sherman, Pianist
...remarkable recording
...I have been particularly
impressed by the recording of Chitose Okashiro. She possesses a great
technique and a marvelous
musicianship
Cyprien Katsaris, Pianist
...it is a dazzler! J.M. Hadra, WFWM Radio, Maryland
...She is really quite stunning, as is the
process!
Omus Hirshbein, Former Director, National Endowments for the Arts
...fabulous pianist
...Ms. Okashiro is a cracker
jack pianist John B Young, Critic,
American Records Guide
...she is such a pianist
Grant Johannessen,
Pianist
...an excellent
pianistic talent
Jon Kimura Parker,
Pianist
...her Schumann (Symphonic
Etudes), have many beautiful
moments
Gary Graffman, Pianist, Director, The Curtis Institute of
Music
...strong, imaginative
and personal
playing Anton
Kuerti,
Pianist
...
Chitose gave an exquisite, superb recital ...it was a personal joy for me
to realize that she is even more impressive in person than I had found her
on her recordings.
She was given two standing ovations: one after the
Schumann (some day someone will count all the notes there are to play; it
must be astronomical) and another after her encore.
While the Schumann
was the grand achievement, I found special delight in the grace and charm
of the Mozart sonata and the infinite, subtle shadings she brought to ‘Des
pas sur la neige’ and ‘La fille aux cheveux de
lin’...
George Trautwein, Former Director of Secrest Artist Series
...how wonderfully the repertoire shows off her skill. A
terrific
record.
Richard Rodzinski, Executive Director of Van Cliburn
Foundation
... wonderful recording. I’m wondering how Miss Okashiro
managed to play the very complicated score of ‘Poem of Ecstasy’. I
must say honestly...it’s a miracle! She is really a big musician and poet
of the piano, especially of its many colors and
harmonies.
Vardo Rumessen, Pianist
... The sound of the piano and the clarity of the Pro Piano
recordings really surpass the competition. I am especially taken with
Chitose Okashiro’s Scriabin. Since I have also performed the complete
Etudes Op.42, I have even more respect for her performance. And that
transcription is a wonder! It’s so beautiful. With my small experience in
editing I can’t imagine how it was
accomplished.
Jean Alexis Smith, Pianist
... Especially Scriabin’s complete Etudes and ‘Poem of
Ecstasy’ by 2 pianos are really stunning. As for the Etudes, it seems one
can not find more perfectly accomplished CD than this. I liked
Op.74 personally since there are very few good recordings. Debussy has a
wonderful nuance inside a firmly constructed
frame.
Akira Takaku, Critic, The Art of Records