Monday, July 21, 2008

SIPCA, Stage III, Evening Session

Having been out this evening due to one of my own musical pursuits, I recorded SIPCA and am trawling through it now. Trawling sounds like such an onerous task... and this is far from onerous, I assure you.

First up is Englishman Christopher Devine, who I found rather unobjectionable in the first round. He's won quite a swag of prizes in the past, therefore I was immediately disposed not to like him. A stupid quirk of mine...

His Mozart (KV 311 in D major) is passing me by and leaving a hint of sweet scent in the air. I mean that exactly as I say it. His tone is sweet, fingers fleet, yet the structure on the whole is lacking meat. The first movement was rather too facile for my liking, despite its very obvious merits. The second movement seems to suffer from too little tonal variation.

That said, however, there is much to commend his playing. Devine interests me. Such refinement isn't easy to acquire. The third movement is extremely polished, with transparently luscious texture and - oh, there we go, a bit of meaty bass for just a moment.

I'm a bit more of a realist about my Mozart, though. Yes, his piano sonatas are absolutely beautiful creations, full of sunshine and spun sugar, yet we must remember he also wrote Don Giovanni...

On the whole, a delightful, shining Mozart sonata with much to enjoy.

I find Mr. Devine's tone very beautiful. His Andrew Ford work is much more satisfying than the Mozart to my ears. Perhaps this is because he is also a composer, according to the website. He seems to have an instinctive feel for this idiom, and is making more sense of the work than others I have heard thus far.
Finally, the teeth are coming out. Quite a lot of bite, and a few more spiky textures. I would've liked some in the Mozart, too. The Ford is an oil painting, in sharp contrasts. The Mozart was more a neutral watercolour. Exquisite in its own way, yet commanded less attention.

I am certainly interested in his Prokofiev (Sonata in B flat, Op.83), one of my favourites and a fiend to pull off... It sounds like he's played it a million times. The whole thing is so well-controlled. I yearn for a slightly unbalanced wildness, which is not in evidence here. It is, however, beautifully voiced. The first movement sounds like the second sounds like the third. The dark dissonances are the same colour as the deceptively smooth E-major opening of the 2nd movement. It is sinister in its simplicity, yet this is just - pretty. Pretty Prokofiev? I'm not sure. The 3rd movement, which I adore, is so well under his control that I just know he's not going to miss a single note.
I just wish he WOULD! I find this pianist intriguing and would love to hear him more. I'd like to see him muss up his hair. Take a few risks... although it sounds like he has a technique that means nothing is really risky for him. Lucky man. Well, I want to hear him again.

Now on to the second performer of the night - Japan's Takashi Sato, who I hear has fingers of steel.

Starting with Couperin (Les roseaux), which I wasn't familiar with. Glorious opening - captured me immediately. This man creates a 3-dimensional landscape, with wonderful variety of attack and colour. Articulation is brilliant when called for and suitably languid otherwise. This is playing with real heart and naturalness.

The Roger Smalley set work is similarly interesting. I really enjoyed this piece, and found this interpretation convincing and theatrical.

The Clementi Sonata in G, Op.37 no.2 is finely spun and beautifully crafted yet Mr. Sato is not afraid of a spiky texture here and there! He takes the basically decent sound of the Kawai piano and weaves dreams out of it. Technically, he is beyond reproach. I like this pianist very much.
The 2nd movement is not quite as successful. I want it to sing more, yet it's a bit square and boxy. At odds with the rest of his playing. Still beautiful, and yet... The opening of the 3rd movement makes me smile instantly, and that smile remains throughout. It's full of humour and cheekiness, which strikes me as just right. It certainly whets my appetite for the Bartok!

BARTOK! Oh, yes! My first thought was "too fast", but within a few seconds I just grinned. It had just the right feel. Enough country and enough refinement. Spiky, interesting textures, transparent yet chunky. Love the ending of the first movement. The slow movement is suitably stark... oh, I just love this guy. However I would've liked more gravitas in the final phrases of the slow movement. Well... the 3rd movement is very exciting! Great build and shape, not too smoothed-out. Now this is the kind of demented I wanted from Christopher Devine. Can't type for being so enthralled. Wow.

Miyeon Lee from South Korea is next, beginning with Haydn (HobXVI/46 in A flat major). Beguiling sound and expression. I like her immediately. She's playing the Steinway and somehow manages to avoid the cloying syrupyness I've heard from this piano at other times. It's transparent and crisp. Slow movement is cantabile and crystalline at the same time, a few ungainly left-hand moments notwithstanding. Such a warmth of tone. Final movement is crisp, fresh and exciting.

Ms. Lee has also chosen the Andrew Ford work, and gives it a lovely yet slightly disturbing ambience. I like this approach, more so than Mr. Devine's earlier in the evening. There is more darkness at work here, a greater exploration of the bass register. Plenty of bite yet still a gorgeous tone.

Three pieces by Albeniz to end this excellent recital. Oh, what seductive colouring in the Evocation! I was about to say 'seductive and evocative' then I checked the title and realised that Ms. Lee is dead on the money with this one. Quite stunning. El Corpus, too, feels absolutely right. The more I hear of this pianist, the more I want to hear. Very impressive. In the final El Albacin, my initial thought is that I'd like to hear her let go a bit more, stretch her limits. She does this to some degree but I'd like more. Perhaps it has more impact in the hall. She certainly has a fine command of style and technique. Not the most powerful or muscular of pianists, yet plenty to enjoy.

Yoon Soo Rhee, also from Korea, is tonight's final competitor. Starting with Haydn's 'English' Sonata. I find myself thinking she needs a touch of Christopher Devine's sound. A little too spiky. Accomplished, but not really to my taste. Final movement is full of excitement and virtuosity.

Another performance of the Andrew Ford. This is, again, more spiky than I would like. A very different approach to the other two performances tonight. Much to enjoy, yet again, not to my taste. Ms. Rhee is clearly a very fine performer, yet I'm not warming to her style.

The Brahms Op.2 Sonata seems an odd competition choice. I've always found it (dare I say) slightly boring, and difficult to bring off. So far, I'm not excited. The music's all a bit bombastic, and she's not making me think otherwise. Oh, it's all very nice. Very accurate, involved playing. I'm just not feeling it. Perhaps this is my shortfall. It is late at night, after all.

I have little to write about the rest of the Brahms, because I didn't have a lot of thoughts during it. I would love to hear Yoon Soo Rhee again at a more reasonable time of day, and see if my opinions change.

Well, it has been a delightful night of listening. Bring on tomorrow!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Just to let you know, in case you haven't checked ABC FM's website, all Stage V Mozart will be available as audio on demand if you would like to hear all of Ran Dank's performance last night.

Enjoying your output, where do you find the time???