Tag: Pianist
-
Mao Fujita playing Mozart with the Philharmonia: delicate as bubbles
In the third movement of Mozart’s final piano concerto, he quotes a popular children’s song, Longing for Spring, using it as his rondo theme. Quite a fitting theme for yesterday’s programme with the Philharmonia Orchestra, since after much back and forth I have decided that spring had indeed finally arrived in London. A bold statement…
-
Nobuyuki Tsujii at Royal Festival Hall: Fearless
Despite being a pianist myself, and having (struggled) through the Chopin First Concerto, nothing prepared me for the unbelievable feat that Nobuyuki Tsujii pulled off right before my eyes tonight at the Royal Festival Hall. The evening began with the Philharmonia Orchestra performing Tchaikovsky’s Capriccio Italien, which under Principal Conductor Santtu Matias-Rouvali’s baton had a…
-
Leif Ove Andsnes at Wigmore Hall: a Deep respect for sound
Programme Edvard Grieg Piano Sonata in E minor, op. 7 Geirr Tveitt Piano Sonata No. 29 “Sonata Etere”, op. 129 Fryderyk Chopin 24 Preludes, op. 28 I was lucky to snag a last-minute return ticket to Leif Ove Andsnes’ sold out Wigmore Hall recital last night. I had to pay a little more than the…
-
Sir Stephen Hough at Barbican Hall: a brilliant showman
Programme: The programme Sir Stephen Hough presented at the Barbican Hall last night was almost exclusively Romantic; even his own composition, Sonatina Nostalgica–commissioned by his alma mater Chetham’s School of Music and written for British pianist Philip Fowke–was, as he told his audience, steeped in the language of English Romanticism. Nevertheless, it was a mixed…
-
Martín García García at Westminster Cathedral Hall for the Fryderyk Chopin Institute
This afternoon I was invited to a promotional event put on jointly by the Chopin Society UK and the Fredyryk Chopin Institute of Poland during which I got to hear Martín García García, 3rd Prize Winner of the most recent Chopin Competition, perform an hour-long all-Chopin recital. I had wanted to hear Martín play for…
-
Review: Karin Miura at St. James’s Piccadilly
Braving the incessant drizzle that seemed a dreary premonition of what’s to come in the UK in less than a month, I dodged all the Saturday Piccadilly promenaders and stepped into St. James’s Church for Karin Miura’s lunchtime recital. Nestled amongst Hatchard’s, Fortnum and Mason and other landmark British establishments along Piccadilly, St. James’s Church…
-
Review: Steven Isserlis, Charles Owen and Irène Duval at Fidelio Café
The trio brought a diverse programme that fitted the cosy and intimate setting of Fidelio Café in Clerkenwell to a tee yesterday. The small café looking out on the bustling Farringdon Road was packed with diners yesterday as they eagerly awaited the trio. At Fidelio you get the unique experience of exquisite piano music juxtaposed…
-
Proms 27 Review: Saariaho, Seong Jin Cho and Strauss
Yesterday was my first time back at the BBC Proms this year, the annual summer classical music festival hosted by the UK’s official radio station at the Royal Albert Hall. It’s always nice to see classical music being performed in less formal settings, and the BBC have done well in their programming, introducing new music…
-
Standing ovation for Angela Hewitt’s Goldberg Variations
I have long adored Angela Hewitt’s Hyperion recording of Bach’s Goldberg Variations but have never been able to see her perform it live, so when Gerald Finley cancelled their Wigmore lieder recital and Angela pulled out the Goldberg Variations as a substitute, I considered it a happy misfortune. Once again, a completely packed Wigmore Hall…
-
The Yuja Wang Phenomenon at Royal Festival Hall
Programme: Barber: Piano Sonata in E flat minor, Op.26 Shostakovich: Prelude and Fugue in A minor, Op.87 No.2; Prelude in G sharp minor, Op.34 No.12; Prelude in C sharp minor, Op.34 No.10; Prelude and Fugue in F sharp minor, Op.87 No.8; Prelude in D minor, Op.34 No.24; Prelude in D, Op.34 No.5; Prelude in B flat minor, Op.34 No.16; Prelude and Fugue in D…
Literally Left-handed 