The pianist was Raj Bhimani, and I must say that he is one of the best pianists I’ve heard at the Library of Performing Arts concerts. This is not to downplay any other performers—this was just great playing. The program (it’s long and thorough, sorry):
Sonata in C Minor, Op. 13 (Pathétique) (1798–99), Ludwig van Beethoven (1770–1827): Grave, Allegro di molto e con brio; Adagio cantabile (I bet you’d recognize it!); Rondo: Allegro.
Piano Pieces, Op. 119 (1892), Johannes Brahms (1833–1897): Intermezzo in B Minor, E Minor, C major, and Rhapsody in E-flat Major.
Intermission (and very few people left)
Three Preludes for Piano (2008), Thérèse Brenet (1935–): Vibrance (Vibration), Le Chant d’un monde lointain (The Song of a Faraway World), and La Lumière et le cri (The Light and the Scream).
Miroirs (1905), Maurice Ravel (1875–1937): Noctuelles (Night Moths), Oiseaux tristes (Sad Birds), Une Barque sur l’océan (A Boat on the Ocean), Alborada del gracioso (The Comedian’s Aubade), and La Vallée des cloches (The Valley of the Bells).
Whew! The Beethoven had very familiar themes but was also played extremely well. My notes for the Brahms included calm opening, cerebral comes to mind; fuller, reminded me of the intensity of Brahms; more rhythmic writing with repetitive rhythms; and hitting with Brahms bombast (and that’s not a bad thing).
After intermission, the Brenet was presented (a little less well received than the rest of the program). My notes for the three movements include: Debussy influence? brief; dreamscape quality; and forceful, if a bit too literal.
Literal was the watchword for the Ravel pieces, as well. I really wanted to like these pieces better than I did. I felt that each movement was a bit too insistent in its example (sound-wise) of the movement title. And almost every one dragged on just a little too long. Once again, they were played beautifully but the pieces themselves did not really speak to me.
Of note, with the exception of the Brenet works, all the rest were played from memory, sans score—and I didn’t notice any lapses.
ConcertMeister
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