Jacques Després

Jacques Després - The Reviews

"I found Mr. Després's interpretations very refreshing. I also was quite satisfied with the selections on the CD. While there may be a temptation to explore his "dark side", the music featured on this disc lean more to the "spiritual" Liszt. I have a feature called "The Midnight Lullaby", and I am anxious to play at least 3 of these selections for that slot."
John McTague, Music Director, on "What's New" W-Bach Classical
104.9FM, Boston, MA

"This delightful new album from Eroica Classical Recordings features lovely, sensitive interpretations of the music of Franz Liszt and Modest Musorgsky, by the young Canadian pianist, Jacques Despres. His Liszt selections, En Reve and Abschied, based on a Russian folk tune, were rendered with delicate, subtle playing."
Kip Allen, Program Director, on "Something's New" KHFM Classical
96FM, Albuquerque, NM

"Jacques Després has developed a smooth and flexible technique which can handle just about any problem Liszt devised."
Eric McLean, "The Gazette", Montreal

"He immediately showed that he is a Bartok player after the composer's own heart. Despres played with imagination and incisive, accurate rhythm, but he always brought out the singing quality in the music. It's that mixture of beautiful song and singing dissonance that makes Bartok's music so memorable, and Despres' performance was also memorable."
Leslie Gerber, "Woodstock Times"

"Already possessor of an excellent technique, Jacques Despres went even further in the knowledge and science of his instrument, which bestows him with pianistic means of the first order. The pianistic control is impeccable, the sonority magnificent, and the playing is of utmost and constant clarity."
Marc Samson, "le Soleil", Quebec

"After the Egmont Overture, the audience listened to the Emperor Concerto rendered in a sovereign fashion. This Beethoven masterpiece requires from the performer great sensitivity and power, which we find in Despres."
Levis, Canada

"Few major pianists have given equally convincing performances of Beethoven and Chopin. The ability to play one composer's music very well seems almost to preclude doing as well with the other. But Despres proved an exception to this rule."
Leslie Gerber, "Woodstock Times"

"He once more revealed himself an artist of refined taste, quivering sensitivity, intelligence, and discipline, through which filter a love of music-making. He is a willful interpreter of undeniable insight--the possessor of a sure and at times stunning technique who never wants to only dazzle."
"Le Nouvelliste", Trois-Rivieres, Quebec