Richard Lester was described both by The Times and the Daily Telegraph as ‘one of our leading players’ and more recently acclaimed as ‘one of the greatest early music keyboard players of this or any other time.’ In 1981, Sir William Glock, former BBC controller of music invited him to perform a solo harpsichord recital at the Bath International Festival. Countless engagements at major international music festivals followed including the Bruges festival, Bath Bach festival and concerts at the Wigmore Hall, Royal Albert Hall, and in 2007 a sell out solo recital at London's South Bank Centre.
September 2011
“[Lester's playing] is precise, fluent and poised. His dexterity is evident in his carefully polished and thoughtful performances. Tempos are generally unhurried by contrast with the virtuoso rapidity often favoured these days by younger harpsichordists in this repertory.”
2011 edition
“Performance of Frescobaldi demands a free, improvisatory style of performance, of which Richard Lester is obviously a master. He plays a perfectly chosen harpsichord with a particularly attractive, warm sonority, not in the least 'clattery'”
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