“The two towering masterpieces of the piano quintet genre on this disc were written seventy years and a thousand miles apart, but for all this, they are closely related” – Marina Frolova Walker. Signum artists Peter Donohoe and the Sacconi Quartet join forces to bring piano quintets by Sergey Taneyev and Robert Schumann in their latest album. They were among the last UK musicians to tour Russia in February 2020, before the twin devastations of COVID-19 and the subsequent war in Ukraine. Their performances of Taneyev’s spectacular Piano Quintet were received with universal acclaim by the Russian audiences, who seldom get to hear the music of Taneyev in their own country. This resulting album recording felt inevitable, coupling the Taneyev with Schumann’s earlier quintet, itself of such significance to Sergey Taneyev. Cover art is by Robert Schumann himself: a sketch of churches within the Kremlin made during his visit to Moscow in 1844.
“A truly thrilling work on the grandest scale. Donohoe is right at home in this repertoire, and the Sacconi is with him all the way. There are plenty of Schumann quintets to choose from on disc, but the Taneyev is a far rarer bird, and a joy to hear.” – The Strad
“The energy, the passion, the focus – it’s all there. Donohoe and the Sacconi clearly enjoy the Schumann and pay attention to its nuances as well as its sparkling inventiveness. There aren’t many versions of the finale which bring out its mercurial contrasts so effectively.” – BBC Music Magazine
“I was particularly charmed by the strings’ expressive playing, and their tasteful yet effective use of portamento. All five musicians play with requisite intensity and do a terrific job in ratcheting up the tension over long paragraphs. If you’re obsessed with the Taneyev Quintet, this beautifully engineered Signum recording is certainly worth hearing.” – Gramophone