Textura Magazine reviews Jonathan Leshnoff’s Symhony No. 3 and Piano Concerto recording featuring the Kansas City Symphony, Michael Stern, Stephen Powell, and Joyce Yang:

“Any classical pianist hearing the concerto would likely salivate at the prospect of performing it. In this iteration, Joyce Yang delivers a riveting performance others would be hard pressed to better. … The opening movement dazzles from the start, with Yang expertly voicing chiming figures over insistent strings and the syncopated rhythms restlessly churning. While artfully executed modulations in tempo and volume allow the pianist’s nuanced articulations room to blossom, the movement’s general tone is declamatory and its thrust propulsive. … A splendid showcase for soloist and orchestra, all things considered. … Weightier by comparison is the third symphony, which, inspired by World War I letters, features texts sung by baritone Stephen Powell in its concluding movement. … Powell’s carefully modulated delivery of the soldiers’ words honours their memory, especially when the words are sung slowly against the orchestra’s dignified backdrop. Yearning is convincingly conveyed in this deeply engaged performance by Stern and company. As with all Reference Recordings releases, the sound quality is exemplary and the presentation impressive. …the performances have been captured with a sumptuous degree of clarity by the team at Soundmirror.”

—Textura

See the full review on Textura.org