Pitman Reviews – All Classical Radio

John Pitman Reviews: Marc-André Hamelin’s ‘Found Objects / Sound Objects’

John Pitman — Fri, 07 Nov 2025 17:00:00 +0000

Recorded in the All Classical Radio studios during his visit to promote his performance with Vancouver Symphony, pianist Marc-André Hamelin chats with Director of Music and Programming John Pitman about his 92nd (!) album, Found Objects / Sound Objects.

Host John Pitman and pianist Marc-André Hamelin

The new album includes works by 20th century icons such as John Cage, Stefan Wolpe, and Frank Zappa, as well as Marc’s friends John Oswald and Yehudi Wyner. The album concludes with a work by Marc himself, titled Hexensabbat, which is German for Witches’ Sabbath.

In their conversation, Marc gives insight into these fascinating, challenging and also charming 20th and 21st century works for piano.

Hear the conversation below:

Marc-André Hamelin’s Found Objects / Sound Objects is available now on Hyperion Records.

John Pitman Reviews: Simone Dinnerstein’s ‘The Eye is the First Circle’

John Pitman — Tue, 28 Jan 2025 17:00:00 +0000

American pianist Simone Dinnerstein’s latest album, The Eye is the First Circle, features iconic American composer Charles Ives’ Concord Sonata. The album is a live recording of Dinnerstein’s multimedia production at the Alexander Kasser Theater in Montclair State University, New Jersey.

The Eye is the First Circle was inspired in part by a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essay Circles: “The life of man is a self-evolving circle, which, from a ring imperceptibly small, rushes on all sides outwards to new and larger circles, and that without end.”

All Classical Radio host John Pitman speaks with Simone about this monumental and challenging yet profound and personal piece – and journey, by the artist in this case – learning, performing and recording a piano sonata inspired by American literature, the landscape and experience.

Hear their conversation below:

Simone Dinnerstein’s The Eye is the First Circle is available to stream and purchase on her website simonedinnerstein.com.

John Pitman Reviews: John-Henry Crawford

John Pitman — Tue, 26 Nov 2024 20:05:15 +0000

All Classical Radio’s Director of Music and Programming John Pitman recently spoke with John-Henry Crawford. Since the Louisiana-based cellist’s 2021 debut, Dialogo, Crawford has always had “dialogues” with the composers whose music he performs, and his album featuring Dvořák’s Cello Concerto and Tchaikovsky’s Variations on a Rococo Theme, is no exception.

John-Henry has known these two works since he was a budding cello student, listening over and over again to the Rostropovich recording. Collaborating with the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra on the new album seems a natural partnership as they are familiar with Tchaikovsky through his ballets, John-Henry’s interpretation gives the music a dance-like quality, and continues his “dialogues” with the composers, as well as his fellow musicians, in this new release.

Hear their conversation below:

John-Henry Crawford and the San Francisco Ballet Orchestra’s Dvořák & Tchaikovsky is available now on Orchid Classics.

Special thanks to Leb Borgerson as editor of the interview and music.

John Pitman Reviews: Augustin Hadelich’s ‘American Road Trip’

John Pitman — Fri, 04 Oct 2024 18:00:00 +0000

Violinist Augustin Hadelich was born in Italy to German parents, and then moved to the U.S. two decades ago to study at Juilliard, where he has lived ever since. Hadelich and his music embody the idea of the “American melting pot,” as does his new album, American Road Trip.

On the album, he reflects as much on his own travels and experiences with American culture as he does on the composers whose music he features. There are composers expressing the Black American experience, including Coleridge-Taylor Perkinson and Daniel Bernard Roumain; musings on the east coast by Aaron Copland, the Jewish-American composer who evokes the Wild West better than anyone; and of course, women adding their voices to the rich American tapestry, such as Amy Beach. The recording feels very comprehensive, and yet Hadelich and his piano partner, Orion Weiss, know they are just scratching the surface here.

All Classical Radio’s Director of Music and Programming John Pitman recently spoke with Hadelich about American Road Trip, and more.

Hear their conversation below:

American Road Trip is available now on Warner Classics.

Audio produced by Dylan Bodnarick

John Pitman Reviews: Arnold Schoenberg

John Pitman — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 16:00:00 +0000

For this edition of John Pitman’s Reviews, John has invited All Classical host and producer Lisa Lipton to sit down with Larry Schoenberg, son of composer Arnold Schoenberg.

Lisa, along with microtonal composer Richie Greene, and 45th Parallel Universe musicians Ron Blessinger and James Shields, asked Larry what it was like having one of the 20th century’s greatest, and most controversial composers as a dad. The conversation runs the gamut from the inner workings of the 12-tone method that Schoenberg created, the many celebrities who were friends of the family, to the toys and games the composer created to entertain and teach his children, including Larry.

This interview was conducted in anticipation of 45th Parallel’s October 22, 2024 concert featuring chamber arrangements by Arnold Schoenberg of music by Gustav Mahler. Learn more at 45thparallelpdx.org.

Arnold Schoenberg, with his three children: Larry, Ron and Nuria.

John Pitman Review: John Malkovich in ‘The Music Critic’

John Pitman — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 22:27:17 +0000

John Pitman, All Classical’s Program Director, recently caught up with Hollywood actor and classical musician John Malkovich. Hear their hilarious chat about Malkovich’s The Music Critic, released last year from a recording made in 2020.

Malkovich shares what went into this funny and fascinating recording, based on the live show, where the actor reads actual (and unbelievably negative) contemporary reviews of Dvořák, Beethoven, Brahms, Tchaikovsky, and other 20th century composers.

John (Pitman) had a blast talking with one of his favorite actors about the process, and their shared love of classical music. He hopes you enjoy it just as much!

John Malkovich in ‘The Music Critic is available on EuroArts.

John Pitman Review: Christopher O’Riley’s ‘The Well-Tempered Clavier’

John Pitman — Thu, 20 Jun 2024 18:28:51 +0000

In May 2024, pianist Christopher O’Riley was in Portland for a concert with his good friend, cellist Matt Haimovitz. All Classical Radio’s Program Director, John Pitman, invited Christopher for an interview in the Roger O. Doyle Performance Studio, the day before their concert.

Christopher shared his knowledge, talent, and insight about Bach and the upcoming album, The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1. He performed two of the preludes and fugues in the studio, and – through interjected examples during their conversation – revealed hidden dialogues within Bach’s work. It was a very illuminating conversation, with powerful music by, arguably, one of music’s greatest composers.

Hear John Pitman’s conversation with Christopher O’Riley, as well as some highlights from his upcoming album:

The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1 by Christopher O’Riley

Special thanks to All Classical’s Audio Engineer Daniel Hornbeck for editing this interview.

John Pitman Review: Danish String Quartet’s ‘Keel Road’

John Pitman — Fri, 24 May 2024 23:38:53 +0000

In April, the Danish String Quartet performed the world premiere of a new work written for them by English composer Thomas Adès at Carnegie Hall.

For this edition of John Pitman’s Reviews, John has invited All Classical Radio host Warren Black to speak with the Quartet about the premiere and get a preview of their upcoming new album, Keel Road. The album features arrangements of folk music and more.

Hear Violinist Frederik Øland and violist Asbjørn Nørgaard tell Warren Black about some of the music on their new album, coming soon in the summer of 2024.

John Pitman Review: Neave Trio’s ‘A Room of Her Own’

John Pitman — Tue, 09 Apr 2024 19:27:44 +0000

All Classical Radio’s Program Director, John Pitman, shares his recent conversation with two members of the Neave Trio. They speak about their latest recording titled “A Room of Her Own.” This is the second of their recordings amplifying the voices of women composers in classical music. Their first, “Her Voice,” was released in 2019.

The Neave Trio, photo courtesy of their website

Violinist Anna Williams and cellist Mikhail Veselov share their passion for performing chamber music masterpieces by Lili Boulanger, Cecile Chaminade, Germaine Tailleferre, and Dame Ethel Smyth. John learns not only about the music but also about the stories of the women who composed these trios.

Hear their conversation and excerpts from the album:

“A Room of Her Own” is available now on Chandos Records.

Special thanks to All Classical’s Dylan Bodnarick for editing this interview.

John Pitman Review: Miloš’s ‘Baroque’

John Pitman — Fri, 08 Mar 2024 22:09:49 +0000

Miloš, the superstar guitarist who has recorded the standard guitar repertoire, explored the Beatles, as well as the experience of isolation, returns with a carefully-curated collection of music of the 18th century.

Baroque is the guitarist’s rediscovery of music that he was taught when a student, to which he now brings his own interpretation and mode of expression. There are Scarlatti sonatas and movements of violin concertos, Boccherini’s Fandango, and of course the music of Bach which, for Miloš, is the musical center of the musical universe.

Hear Miloš’s conversation with All Classical Radio’s Program Director John Pitman, along with excerpts from Baroque.

Baroque is available now on Sony Classical.

Special thanks to All Classical’s Dylan Bodnarick for editing this interview.