Another sad loss.

Deborah Riedel. Aged 50.

There's nothing I can say that others haven't already said better.

rest in peace, bella voce.

2009

How did we get here so quickly? Seems just a blink of an eye since the 'millenium bug' hysteria, and now we are nine years past it already.

Lives have changed irrevocably in this time, as lives do.

I wonder what 2009 will bring for us all?

I wish you all the very best, and hope that some music-related posts will be forthcoming in the near future.

Holidays of varying descriptions

It's that time of year again. Food, drink, family gatherings, and horrible Christmas Carol shows on TV.

I would like to state that I have, thus far, managed to avoid said Christmas Carol shows. I intend to continue with this good form. Nothing makes me feel less Christmassy than having to watch a certain past-it tenor belt out a questionably 'classic' hymn.

This post starred LadyBlogger as The Grinch.

On a serious note, I wish all readers of this blog the happiest of holidays and hope that you all find much joy over the holiday season and the coming year.

December will be magic again

There have been numerous times over the past few weeks when I have thought about updating this blog. Unfortunately there has been nothing worth updating about.

There still isn't. Soon, perhaps, I shall have more to say.

We are, after all, unfortunately human...

I just heard the sad news that Richard Hickox, current Music Director of Opera Australia, passed away suddenly following a heart attack.

Although I never had the privelege of meeting him, his reputation as a fine musician will stand for a long time in my mind, and in the minds of many of this country's operagoers. Hopefully the current controversy can be put aside for now as the opera community turns their thoughts to his family in this sad time.

Du temps et de l'instant

Hesperion XXI live is an experience I will never forget. I've been a fan for some time, but I wasn't expecting quite the level of sublimity that was bestowed upon we, the lucky audience in the City Recital Hall last night. If I could stay a little longer, I would be there for the second concert on Saturday night - different program. That being impossible, however, I shall simply bask in the lasting afterglow of a supreme musical experience.

If angels have voices, I imagine they sound rather like Arianna and Ferran Savall. Such glorious purity of tone, musical intensity, and absolute rightness of expression. Sometimes, and it is rare, I experience a musical event that does not disturb my sensibilities in any way, because it is so completely right and perfect in itself. This concert was one such event. Jordi Savall's viol playing is so refined and beautiful, his sound tugging at the very centre of the soul. I was disappointed to find out that Montserrat Figueras was ill and unable to travel to Australia... however this disappointment didn't last long as the delights contained in the program, even without her, were immense.

Special mention must be made of Pedro Estevan's percussion. An unwavering sense of rhythm, inventiveness, and personality. What really struck me about this ensemble was the unity of purpose, whilst still maintaining the individual strengths of the members.

I have had the haunting melody of Arianna Savall's La Salve coursing through my veins since leaving the concert hall last night. The warm, crystalline purity of her voice, combined with the dulcet tones of her harp are wonders to behold. There is something very human about the music Hesperion XXI chooses to perform - both ancient and modern. The ancient is surprisingly modern, whilst the modern carries within it the essence of ancient humanity.

I wouldn't believe I'm the only person in the audience who fell a little in love with Ferran Savall, either... he's a little bit too gorgeous to be such a masterful theorbist and have that voice as well. Not to mention his composition, a vocalise entitled Jaroslaw, was spellbindingly beautiful.

Driss El Maloumi proved a masterful Oud player, and Dmitri Psonis enthralled whenever he took up his instruments. However, the evening's laurels really belong to the patriarch, the spellbinding Jordi Savall. Undoubtedly, the highlight of this concert were his Variations sur O Sonjal. Absolute mastery of his instrument, and a way of speaking directly to the heart and soul of the listener. The final pizzicato phrases were a marvel in their sonority, a few moments of pure magic. This is what music is all about.

I can't shake it either.

I love my classical music enormously. Yet sometimes a break is needed, even from one's dearest love...
I love good pop music. And no, that is not an oxymoron. My latest interest is Kate Miller-Heidke (who used to be an opera singer, which = WIN). Anyone who sings a hilarious song about not being able to dance (Can't Shake It) which includes the lyric "I don't really qualify for breakdancing, I just break it..." has got my vote. Admitting through song that you can't dance? That's just awesome. There's also an adorably quirky song about just wanting to ride on this guy's motorscooter (NOT a euphemism, I'm sure), and how it's not that cool because he's just so metrosexual... it cracks me up. I love it. Complete with zooming and beeping noises. There's also the fabulous song that says "If you're God's gift to women, then God got it wrong!" Love it. Love love love it. Mainly because it's so TRUE. I see men like that every time I go out, and it's just sad. About time someone called them on it.
Quirky and fabulous isn't all she does. There are beautiful, heartfelt songs as well. My personal fave of these is about a boy she went to school with, who was thought of as a bit of a weirdo... but she befriended him and then when he got beat up and hassled for having no friends, she didn't stand up for him, now knows better, and is sorry. It's lovely. Again, it's just so true and real and... well, it's life.
I think what I like most about Kate Miller-Heidke is that she just seems like a real person, flaws and all. I loved her first album, but I think the second is perhaps even better.
So, it's my soundtrack of choice at the moment. It's replaced Soile Isokoski's Strauss Orchestral Songs, which in turn replaced Martha Argerich's Debut Recital disc.
I love music. That's all.

On reflection, and hearing the radio broadcast

I do love when my initial impressions are confirmed on second hearing. I listened, of course, to the Mathy Awards broadcast on the radio yesterday. It was fabulous for many reasons - one of the best being that I could hear Shane Lowrencev's singing FAR better, and I loved it. What an utterly fabulous voice and such intelligence in his singing!

Anyway. The radio microphone has a way of amplifying defects that may not be heard in the theatre. This was interesting. Sitiveni Talei came through this process relatively unscathed. A few short-breathed phrases aside (and everyone suffered from this - nerves are a nasty thing and entirely forgiveable!), his sound was rich and warm the whole way through, and the lovely musical phrasing was just as much in evidence. I liked his Papageno aria even better on second hearing.

Sometimes, when I hear music performed really well, I just smile and I can't stop smiling. This happened to me yesterday.

I shall be discreet about what I thought of the second singer, and simply say that she sounded an awful lot better from further away. The other two were polished and lovely. Sky Ingram seemed to be flatter in pitch than I remember hearing - perhaps the radio microphone wasn't picking up some of the higher overtones in the voice. Not sure. All the same, I enjoyed the Mathy Awards immensely on second listening. Still 100% behind their choice of winner, too! What a talented guy with a fabulous voice and huge potential for the future!

Mathy Awards final

As promised, I did attend the final. Despite not feeling particularly well and facing a 1.5 hour drive just to see a concert on my own and then sleep on a friend's uncomfortable sofa bed. Would've been a shame to waste my ticket...

I went, I listened, I LOVED. What a fabulous night of singing! Sitiveni Talei started things off. Looking suave (yet cheeky) in his tails, he opened proceedings with a beautifully phrased The Call from Vaughan Williams' Five Mystical Songs. I adore this cycle, and although Love bade me welcome has always been my favourite of the set, Mr. Talei's performance won me over immediately. I may have a new favourite... The warmth and effortless projection of his voice was immediately appealing, as was the heartfelt sensitivity and extremely musical phrasing. His English diction was almost faultless - a few words flew into the skies but mostly it was extremely clear. A stunning beginning which left the audience silent for a few moments before warm applause.
Nicole Car followed, looking lovely, with a beautifully sung Mahler song from Des Knaben Wunderhorn. This is a lovely warm voice and well-produced... very technically sound (if a little flat in pitch at times) yet I felt the connection to the text was lacking a little. Still, an impressive performance.
Michael Lampard contributed a lovely Ah per sempre from Bellini's I Puritani. His singing is very fine, the voice is delightful in quality and he is interesting to watch. Perhaps a little more bel canto line would be desired, yet I found his performance very pleasing.
Sky Ingram impressed far more this time, with a beautiful Morgen. She is lovely to watch on stage (and her elegant green dress far surpassed the more ostentatious purple number worn by Nicole Car) and her voice was warm, rich and lovely. I enjoyed her singing immensely.

Second time around, Sitiveni Talei was a characterful Papageno... the 'suicide aria' may have seemed a strange choice but as soon as he started it made perfect sense. Mr. Talei is Papageno. He has the cheekiness required as well as that stunning chocolate-hued voice. It was a very funny, beautifully sung performance that had the audience both laughing and completely in sympathy with poor Papageno's plight! I felt, then, that he would win the Audience Prize. He certainly got my vote (and before you ask, even though he was my favourite from the semis I went to the final with a clean slate and open mind!). "That's going to be hard to beat", I said, to nobody in particular... however the person in the seat next to me decided to chime in her agreement. "Magnificent", she said.
So Nicole Car followed with D'amor sull'ali rosee from Trovatore. An odd choice, perhaps. Again a lovely sound, but... No pianissimi, and a seeming lack of understanding of the Verdi style. Mind you, she is young and she will learn. However it left me wondering why. I think I would've preferred to hear her sing something like Micaela's aria. Still, very fine singing again and she is someone I look forward to hearing in the years to come.
Michael Lampard's Guglielmo (Rivolgete) was fine, very fine indeed. Full of character and vocal colour. I enjoyed this performance immensely. No more to add on that one.
Sky Ingram sang a stunning Song to the Moon from Rusalka. Gorgeous. Glorious. Beautiful. I am at a loss as to why I did not enjoy her singing last time. Simply stunning.

yet I was still hoping for Mr. Talei to come up trumps. While the judges were deliberating, we had the opportunity to hear this year's Opera Awards winner, bass Shane Lowrencev. Well, the opportunity to hear him wasn't fully enjoyed as quite often he was inaudible through the orchestral textures. After a decent Banco and a better-than-average Don Basilio, we were treated to a rather fabulous Soliloquy from Carousel. He seemed much more in his element here, and capped it off with some blazing high notes which leave me wondering if he is really a true bass. The colour of the voice is dark, yet the top is so well-produced (and much more audible). All the same it was frustrating as I enjoyed the timbre of his voice and wanted to hear it more.

Finally, the announcement. After the general prizes were announced, it was time for the winner: Sitiveni Talei. A huge roar went up from the crowd. Not surprising, as I was right in predicting he'd won the Audience Prize. He looked surprised, but spoke very well upon accepting the award.

I was pleased. I look forward to hearing him sing often. What a wonderful night out.

why? Because I can.

Your result for Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test...

Musical

10% Logical, 22% Spatial, 45% Linguistic, 39% Intrapersonal, 18% Interpersonal, 80% Musical, 14% Bodily-Kinesthetic and 8% Naturalistic!

"This area has to do with rhythm, music, and hearing. Those who have a high level of musical-rhythmic intelligence display greater sensitivity to sounds, rhythms, tones and music. They normally have good pitch and may even have absolute pitch, and are able to sing, play musical instruments, and compose music. Since there is a strong auditory component to this intelligence, those who are strongest in it may learn best via lecture. In addition, they will often use songs or rhythms to learn and memorize information, and may work best with music playing in the background.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include instrumentalists, singers, conductors, disc-jockeys, and composers." (Wikipedia)

http://www.helloquizzy.com/tests/howard-gardners-eight-types-of-intelligence-test">Take Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test at

"What makes this emptiness?" "Tell me when these silences began..."

A variety of things, including persistent (but not life-threatening) ill-health and subsequent bed rest, have prevented me from updating this blog. I have little of musical merit to report on, so I shall merely say that I am here, and I will report on more when I have more to report on.

yes, I do love my long-winded, confusing sentences.

Music has taken the back seat, rather firmly, at this point in time. This will be remedied as soon as possible.

Oh - anyone who correctly identifies which opera my subject line comes from, you get... um... a comment saying you're clever.

Ciao for now.

Travelling LadyBlogger

Lately, it is a rare occasion indeed when this blogger finds herself at home. This is a good thing in many ways, as it provides opportunities to attend performances in many different places. However, it is nice to be home and able to relax at last!

During my travels, I was fortunate enough to attend a performance of The Wicked Voice - four 'melodramas'. Well, three melodramas and one highly melodramatic song cycle (Intended with the utmost affection for the work, it is magnificent).

First, Georg Benda's setting of Medea. A young and beautiful actress named Claire Blumer, who I understand is a recent graduate of WAAPA, assumed the title role. A tough ask for one so young, especially when one is as angelic in appearance as Ms. Blumer happens to be. There is a magnetic quality to her performance, and the range is vast. Perhaps too vast. Or, rather, too much contrast, and not enough shading. However, she is a compelling performer and one I would gladly pay to see again. She held the stage wonderfully, alone for most of the performance. Other roles were well-taken, especially the two children who were simply adorable and let out blood-curdling screams when required!
Next, Christmas Eve, whose composer escapes me at the moment. Fibich, perhaps? All the same it was wonderfully evocative music. Another beautiful young actress, Miriam Miley-Read, assumed the role of narrator. I am led to understand that Ms. Miley-Read has mostly performed in opera, and the quality of her speaking voice suggests that her singing would be equally thrilling. She is tall and striking, with beautiful large eyes, and it is difficult to take your eyes off her. Lucky, as she commanded the stage alone for the duration of this piece (about 20 mins' worth). Hers was a vastly different performance to Ms. Blumer's, subject matter notwithstanding. A dark story about two girls who see their futures in the lake - one marries, and the other dies. Ms. Miley-Read's performance was almost sprechgesang in nature, following the highs and lows of the music intimately.
After the interval was Larry Sitsky's song cycle The Jade Harp, for mezzo-soprano and fortepiano. This is a wonderful new work from one of Australia's most revered composers. Utterly theatrical and gripping. Angela Giblin, who I had not previously heard but has an excellent reputation, is an utterly superlative artist. What her voice lacks in youthful sheen is more than made up for in the range of tonal and expressive quality. She, too, is a compelling actress. Even her hairstyle is theatrical! She was dressed simply yet strikingly in a lovely black silk chinese-inspired pantsuit. The performance took her all over the stage and yet her singing remained firmly centred and always controlled. Sometimes achingly beautiful, sometimes deliberately ugly, her performance was a revelation. One that will not be forgotten. Geoffrey Lancaster's fortepiano playing is absolutely beyond reproach, and he was a wonderful partner to Ms. Giblin, bringing a wealth of artistry and expression to this exciting score.
The final work was The Water Goblin, which saw four actors on stage. For me, this was the weak link. It would have been far better to finish with the Sitsky. Four performers in a line, writhing, speaking sing-song lines... yeah. OK. Fine, and all, but I preferred the rest of it. They all performed exceptionally and received a well-deserved rousing ovation from the appreciative audience. I am so glad I was visiting friends in the vicinity, even though I attended this performance alone ("Too weird for us!" they said... what a shame!).

Now for something completely different - Opera Australia's production of My Fair Lady. I will confess to loving this show inordinately. Always have. This production did not disappoint. Reg Livermore remains an absolute master of the theatre, and his Henry Higgins has developed immensely since I last saw him in the role many years ago. Although he is getting on in years, he still has a youthful charisma that allows us to believe that Taryn Fiebig's young and beautiful Eliza could well fall for him. I think I fell for him a little myself... Ms. Fiebig has a charming soprano voice. Light and airy yet full in the lower register, it is brightly coloured and crystalline. Her Cockney accent was slightly hit-and-miss, but she was always convincingly in character and looked superb. The supporting roles were absolutely WONDERFUL. Eliza's father had us all rolling with laughter, and his cronies in "With a little bit of luck" were full of ribald enthusiasm. A highly satisfying theatrical experience which left me with an enormous smile on my face.

I happened to be passing through Sydney the weekend just gone, which left me free to attend the semifinals of the Australian Singing Competition's Mathy Awards. Quite an experience! Ridiculously talented young people with voices to die for. I wasn't equally impressed with all four chosen finalists, but one singer stood out for me immediately - Sitiveni Talei. Purely because his baritone voice is... is... um. Words defy me. Sumptuous doesn't cut it. Bright and dark in equal measure, effortlessly produced, with heroic top notes. His art song didn't impress any great depths upon me, but I luxuriated in the gorgeous voice all the same. However, his Avant de quitter ces lieux from Faust absolutely sealed the deal. One of my favourite baritone arias, delivered with ease, panache, and commitment. He has a lovely, merry face, and a charmingly unassuming stage presence. He looked rather surprised to be named as a finalist, yet I suspect nobody in the audience was in any doubt. The other finalists are Nicole Car, Michael Lampard and Sky Ingram. Of the others, Jennifer Barrington impressed with her richly coloured soprano and easy high notes. WA seems to be producing a lot of fine singers at the moment, judging by the fact that half of the ten semifinalists hail from there. Thomas Wood's tenor sounded older than his years but was pleasantly lyrical, and Sam Roberts-Smith was a worthy recipient of the Encouragement Award and could easily have been a finalist in my humble opinion. Sky Ingram, although selected for the final, did nothing for me. She looks stunning and sings rather well, but something is lacking. There's a touch of vinegar to her sound which did not impress me. I far preferred Angela Edwards' sound, although she was perhaps not quite as polished.
I guess I should talk about the other two finalists - Nicole Car and Michael Lampard. Both lovely, well-produced voices and attractive stage manner. Ms. Car seems to be doing well for herself already, and rightly so. She is an exceptional young singer.

Now, I find myself in a bit of a performance drought for the time being. It has been a wild ride.

SIPCA on TV

Watched the ABC Arts program this afternoon, and finally got to see the six finalists play. With the exception of Eric Zuber, who I missed because I wasn't home early enough to catch the start.

My perceptions were challenged somewhat. I expected, perhaps from G.W.'s comments, that Takashi Sato would be more theatrical and Tomoki Kitamura more subdued. Certainly in my eyes it was the other way around. Mr. Sato impressed me even further on TV than he did on the radio.

I still believe, even more so now, that Ran Dank was the outstanding artist in the competition. Konstantin Shamray was very fine, but not in Mr. Dank's league. I am still perplexed as to why Tatiana Kolesova was awarded the second prize after her poor showing in the two concerti. However not my decision.

I've been practicing a lot and watching the Olympics, and perhaps partying a little too hard. All of that = tired LadyBlogger. zzzz.

In which LadyBlogger has been... *gasp*... PRACTICING!

Indeed. I have been somewhat inactive with my blogging because I have been making music of my own, as opposed to commenting on the music-making of others. It is a pleasant change. I am preparing for a few different things coming up - getting up and trotting out my wares, so to speak...

One thing I tend to forget after a break from piano practice is that it takes time to rebuild callouses formed from practicing glissandi. Two of the pieces in my current repertoire have glissandi, and I've actually drawn blood from jumping in there a little too vigorously. Ouch!

Unfortunately, I have yet again proven that if I actually had the mental fortitude to give this piano thing a real go, I could be rather good at it. More than rather, in fact. Possibly tending towards very or even extremely. Every time I make this realisation it upsets me a little. I wonder if I have squandered a gift that I shouldn't have squandered. Then I remember that I actually really like doing what it is that I plan to do for a living. I like it a LOT. I love it, in fact. So I rest my case.

eventually. right now I'm at the point of saying that I remember that I love what I already do, and yet I haven't quite felt it yet. Part of me will always be wistful that I didn't take my last piano teacher's advice and go for it. Yet the larger part knows that I made the right decision, and I followed my heart.

Anyway I have dragged myself away from the big black shiny thing in the music room and I am going to have a well-deserved TV break. Give those cuticles some time to heal.

Ode to Martha

Argerich, of course. I racked up a lot of kilometres in my car over the past few days, and listened to a lot of music. My final choice was the live Martha Argerich/Chailly/Berlin RSO Rachmaninoff 3 and her Tchaikovsky 1 with Kondrashin/Bavarian RSO.

She just OWNS it. Never mind that she misses notes here and there, that her tempi are sometimes wildly different from the orchestra when she comes in at a new section.

It's wonderfully distinctive, spontaneous, electric playing and reminded me yet again of why I love her so much.

National anthems

Yes, I am obsessed with the Olympics. I can't help it. Once every four years isn't so bad, is it? In general I am somewhat ambivalent about most sports, but the Olympics gets the Aussie spirit out of me IN FORCE.

I was struck today, whilst watching the swimming finals (what else?), that Australia's national anthem is not one of the more interesting specimens. I heard the Japanese anthem for the first time today and was quite struck by it - austere, not at all westernised (unlike the Chinese anthem, which sounds like bad Verdi), and rather pentatonic.

Why doesn't Australia have a DECENT anthem? It's just so... meh. Admittedly, it's not as bad as the American... ("Oh, say can you see?" REALLY? Then again, is that worse than "With golden soil and wealth for toil, our home is girt by sea"? sigh...) but it's not good.

Our near neighbours, the Kiwis, have sort of got something going there. It's a nice tune, at the very least. Perhaps a bit simplistic... but a nice tune all the same. Not as complicated or as wordy as the Italian or Chinese anthems. The French, of course, is rousing as ever.

but I really think Australia should get a new anthem. Preferably composed by Carl Vine.

It has been some time since we last met...

Although there has been plenty of music in this LadyBlogger's life, as always, there has also been plenty of Olympics-watching. I tend to get a bit obsessed, as I do with SIPCA. This year is no exception. Having little to distract me from the television, I spend a lot of time with it, watching sports I never suspected I'd be interested in.

I was quite spellbound this evening watching a young Chinese woman lift almost three times her own body weight. It was very exciting!

Yet, as always, my heart belongs to the swimming. Whenever I mention this, I am asked this inevitable question: "Do you like it for the sport, or for the male bodies?" *wink* While I can assure you that I wouldn't leave Eamon Sullivan shivering on my doorstep if Stephanie Rice did decide she was really finished with him, I must admit that I like the female events just as much as the male. Therefore any question of eye candy is null and void. There's just something terribly exciting about the swimming. It's the one sport I will always go out of my way to watch. It's been a great few days in the pool. I've even enjoyed some of the races Australia didn't win. I admit to being terribly impressed with the Kiwi Moss Burmester, who mixed it with the big boys for most of the 200 freestyle final today before just fading into fourth place. Still, he took it out hard and led Michael Phelps at the first turn! That is nothing to sneeze at.

I also must confess to disliking Michael Phelps. There can be nothing but admiration for him as an athlete, but something about his personality just doesn't quite gel with me. Sure, I've never met him in person, so I'm just being judgemental... Yet there's something so refreshing about the Australian attitude, as evinced by a certain Eamon Sullivan after breaking the 100m world record this morning - he said he felt good in warmup so decided to have a go at the world record, and was pretty pleased that he got it. So unassuming... and not in-your-face like the American relay team in their (admittedly historic and amazing) victory.

I'm still sore that Ian Thorpe decided to give up the ghost before he should've. In my opinion. I, of course, am a dedicated armchair expert. I can swim decently enough but certainly nothing to write home about!

Well, tomorrow will be interesting. The 100m freestyle final. Three fastest men in the world... who will win? I'm betting the Aussie. I'm a firmly one-eyed patriot, yes, but also I think he's got the mental toughness to take them all out.

This has been an almost completely unmusical post, but I have one thing left to add: Upon hearing the Italian national anthem for the first time in recent memory, it struck me that it sounds just like it's been lifted from early Verdi. Very jaunty indeed!

on that note, I shall end. Goodnight!

What now?

SIPCA is over. I started this blog in a timely fashion. Spurred on by my desire to write SIPCA commentary. Now that it's over, I'm not sure exactly what I'm going to write about. However, there is so much music in my life that I'm sure there will be plenty to fill up internet space.

I feel like I'm emerging from a black hole...

So, it's all over

I missed the announcements, being out for the evening, and I must confess to being both surprised and not surprised upon reading the results online.

Not particularly surprised at Konstantin Shamray's first placing. I'm sure it was well-deserved in some sense. I didn't like much of his playing until the Prokofiev this afternoon, but that was pretty magical.

But Tatiana Kolesova for second place? What? WHY? Surely Ran Dank and Takashi Sato both well and truly bested her. Sigh. Whatever... I liked her in the early rounds, but she lacked spirit later on.

Having had time to digest things, I think I would've put it like this:

1. Ran Dank
2. Takashi Sato
3. Konstantin Shamray
4. Eric Zuber
5. Tomoki Kitamura
6. Tatiana Kolesova

Bit of a change from my earlier preferences, excepting Ran Dank, but that's how I felt it.
One can't always agree with the judges, and this one doesn't. Not this time. But... such are competitions.

It's late, and I'm off to sleep.

The last hurdle of SIPCA

Prokofiev is very much in my psyche at the moment. Tortured and longing. Angry at the world. General feeling of unhappiness. Or perhaps I'm in Prokofiev's psyche? Either way, it seems very right for me to listen to Prokofiev at the present time.

Konstantin Shamray and Prokofiev are an intoxicating combination. I'm not sure if it's the drunk-makingly moody Second Piano Concerto's fault though... Mr. Shamray is endearing himself to me more than ever before. This is really wonderful playing. There's a hint of squareness where there shouldn't be, however. Unlike the wonderful performance of Daniel Hill (hang on, he calls himself Daniel De Borah these days) four years past. Still, Mr. Shamray is full of excitement and darkness. It's that wonderful Slavic moodiness, with which I have plenty of experience.

Sigh. It's getting slightly bangy and messy now. That said, it is very exciting all the same. I am having a visceral reaction to it. Yet in this case, unlike the earlier Prokofiev 3, I'm not sure if it's the pianist or the music or both. Ran Dank and Prokofiev were inseparable and awe-inspiring. This seems a bit... patchwork. Bits tacked together with little sense of a whole. Perhaps, however, that is the fault of the concerto.

The second movement is fleet and accurate. An odd thought just struck me - I'd like to hear Tomoki Kitamura tackle this piece. Anyway. It flew by in a haze of clean fingerwork. It strikes me as just a bit too studied. Mind you, I do quite like the macabre humour he's brought to the third movement. Somehow I get the impression that's about the only kind that would have made Prokofiev laugh...

Wow the finale takes off, and Mr. Shamray is firmly in the driver's seat at this stage. It's been an oddly uneven performance with moments of real brilliance yet lots of mis-hits. The beautifully rhapsodic second theme is glorious to behold. Oh. Until he gets to the chordal recapitulation of it, then it sort of gets square and bangy again. I'd adore his playing if he could get rid of the square bangy-ness.

Oh yes. That's smart, people. Clap at the wrong time... Seriously, is it THAT hard to know when a concerto's actually finished? I think not. If in doubt, wait it out.

There are wonderful moments where Mr. Shamray is truly inside the music and its scary moodiness. Just moments, however. The grand dash to the finish line is one of these moments, albeit a slightly extended one.

OK. So the audience really seemed to enjoy that. Sigh. I would not be surprised if he wins. I guess all along I've thought he'd be a safe choice for winner... I wouldn't pick him though. Yikes. Maybe he'll win the audience prize now? Goodness. They are absolutely loving him! Then again, I remember being at the final concerto session in 2004. The audience was absolutely packed full, and the atmosphere was one of incredible excitement. Much more so than any other session I'd attended. The young piano students were out in force, perhaps having saved their pennies for the final (I was sort of in that boat myself).

Well it certainly seems to have made an impression. I wonder what it was like live? That's always the test. G.W. loves it. Then again I don't always agree with him. However, from his description, Mr. Shamray sounds like quite a character. G.W. seems to have perceived the structure that I didn't. I'm not willing to admit that I was wrong, yet!

I find D. Beaumont rather likeable, but he does ask the most interminably frustrating questions at times... sigh.

Takashi Sato up next with Beethoven 5. A concerto I know very well, having played second piano several times for concerto exams at universities. Also somewhat of a teenage obsession of mine.
Well. Here we have a confident, extroverted opening. Very enjoyable indeed. I like Mr. Sato's way with Beethoven. I have mentioned before that I admire his tone - that beautiful sound is much in evidence here. It is all very well-controlled and accurate, right in time with the orchestra and beautifully shaped. Oh I love the B-minor/major section so much and it has just the right feathery touch. Gorgeous. Just a touch of rubato. Beethoven's romp through tonalities in this concerto is fascinating. I must confess to happily bopping away in the B-flat triplet section. It's so happy and it makes me happy! Couldn't be further from Prokofiev at this moment.

Oh yes, this is wonderful playing. Mr. Sato has won me over. Nothing jarring about it. Polished, beautiful, and interesting at last. A wonderfully wise choice by this pianist. Takashi Sato has saved his trump card until now, but was that a wise decision? Time will tell. What an exciting cadenza! So beautifully structured. This is big-boned yet very refined Beethoven. Simply glorious. A couple of cracked notes but this is one of those times it honestly doesn't matter.

The divine beauty of the second movement has gently crept upon me. This music, to me, is the expression of deepest, most profound love and beauty.
Mr. Sato's integration of the appogiature into the line is seamless and beautiful. So many pianists shock me there. This is pure, unadulterated gorgeousness.

I am crying. Big, fat tears pouring down my cheeks. This would be embarrassing if I were not at home alone. As it stands, I will simply relish being moved.

Love love love this finale - it seems to be almost the antithesis of the cruel dance in Shostakovich's E minor Piano Trio. (Makes me wonder if that's deliberate on Shostakovich's part, keeping in mind the slow movement of his 2nd piano concerto and its known links to the slow movement of this concerto) In this performance, Mr. Sato has it. Whatever it is. Just wonderful, wonderful playing. Now I want him in the top 3 too. Um. Whoops. A seriously misjudged run becomes atonal... ah well. With playing of such beauty I can forgive him that, and he's recovered magically. Magic! YES! Magic. Absolutely. Quite a bit of fierceness too. What a wonderful trill! Sigh. I am running out of superlatives for this amazing performance. Brilliant ending! However I feel it deserves far more applause than it's getting. Well, he won't win the audience prize. G.W. doesn't like it that much, either, which I expected. Especially given his self-styled "Beethoven expert" tag... (I don't mean that in a snide manner at all- he plays extremely fine Beethoven) I guess he has to show his expertise here. I liked it, anyway.

Eric Zuber is the last one. I will have to cut my commentary short - I must get ready to go out for the evening! I'll be out when the announcement is made, which is a bit of a frustration but as I said yesterday I do adore my friends and one can't spend their life being a blog-writing hermit.
Tchaikovsky 1. I love this. Have even played it myself. A suitable vehicle for my rather fierce and masculine pianism.

Oh, yay. The horns didn't splat the first note. (Maybe the fourth or fifth). Mr. Zuber has the requisite big, warm sound in the opening chords. Very generous of spirit. In his hands at this moment they are not just chords - they are beautiful and expressive. I believe he really loves this piece. So generous! Goosebumps. Visceral reaction again. I knew his Tchaikovsky would interest me. It is only the beginning of the first movement and already I feel that like Takashi Sato, Mr. Zuber has saved the best for last. This is FIERCE! As well - proportioned as Michaelangelo's David, yet even more handsome. Oh. What a pity. He's dropped the ball a bit in the second theme. It's a bit clunky, not quite dancing enough. Still, I like it.

Getting a sense of deja vu here. In 2000, Marina Kolomiitseva played the same concerto, and was also the last competitor. I didn't think she was particularly good (dull as dishwater about sums it up) but she won. Eric Zuber far outstrips her. You can really hear his big-ness in this particular concerto. I felt his Mozart was underdone. A bit too pink in the centre. This is evenly roasted. (Yes, in my spare time, I love to cook!) I love the way he delays, ever so slightly, the climactic moments, which makes me want them all the more. (Whoever says music is nothing like sex is clearly uneducated in one or the other).

Mr. Zuber is clearly excited, and it is certainly infectious! Perhaps a little over-excited at times, but I can't fault him for that! It is Tchaikovsky, after all! Such a variety of interesting, pearly tone in the cadenza. This is great playing. What a fabulous end to the first movement!

It is easy to believe that Mr. Zuber has a deep love and respect for this concerto. He performs it with the utmost reverence. So often it's dashed off as a showpiece, but not today. Every note is music. The slow movement is utterly ravishing. The 'fairy wings' (my nickname for it) part is perfectly in place and dances gorgeously. I will stay until the opening of the third movement to give some general impressions but then I really must go and get ready.

Well, it's very good. Wondered if it could use more brutality, but that came in soon enough. It will take a HUGE mishap in the next few minutes to change my mind about how much I love this performance. Now, I'm off.

Goodness me. I just can't pick a winner. If you'd asked me this morning I would have said I'd like Ran Dank without a doubt, but with so many terrific showings it's difficult. Now, I think the only thing that would annoy me utterly is if Tatiana Kolesova was announced as winner. I just don't think she did enough, despite her wonderful early round. Also Tomoki Kitamura, who is just too young in spirit, although immensely talented.