Good pianist, interesting programme. Swiss, daughter of
veteran pianist. Peter Lukas-Graf. Venue, Swiss Church in Endell Street, Covent
Garden, handsome –plain white room, altar the only clue to its ecumenism –
alas, dreadful acoustic, bathroom style, fortes distorted.
Nice Schubert Sonata, the smaller one in A major, melodies
to the fore but never running too long.
Next, Chopin's Andante spianato, not the best of this
composer but some truly magical moments. Followed by Prokofiev a piece that I
have never come across before in sixty years of recital-going with the title
Après des vieux cahiers Opus 29, alternately gruff and rough like the second
Concerto for piano, and lyrical, listener-friendly more like the third of his
five.
The next work showed the pianist as a composer, talented at
that. It was the world première of Announcement (of what we were not
vouchsafed) the five-minutes of its duration gave no definite hint – hatch,
match, despatch, certainly not bankruptcy. It featured one tone repeated many
times, almost like a Fantasy on One Note. It paralled Le Gibet of Ravel but
never sounded like that composer.
Finally, two of the Moments Musicaux of Rachmaninoff, one
slow, one faster, not vintage S.R., no gorgeous lyrical passages but skilful
wandering.
Aglaia is rising 27, pretty, nice manner on the platform,
should have a successful career.
But I would have to hear
her in surrounding more conducive to enjoyment than this Swiss church to write
a meaningful review.
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