A piano solo recital based on the idea of perpetual transformations. Pianist Tra Nguyen set the scene with Mozart’s “difficult sonatas” Sonata in B flat, K. 281, with traditional classical sonata form.
The second piece of the programme is Brahms’s Variations and Fugue on a theme Handel, Op. 24. As the title of the work suggests, Brahms developed a theme from Handel to arrive at the fugal variations.
Notably, there were not just compositions that have undergone transformations; there were also new premieres from pianists who have evolved into pianist-composers. These included Prayer from pianist composers Evelyn Chang and Julie Kuok. On this particular occasion, Ms Nguyen performed Prayer, written by Evelyn Chang, and, from Julie Kuok, Etude Pulao and Etude Chaofeng were part of the programme.
Nimrod Borenstein’s Kangding Qingge Etude, taken from his 12 Etudes, recorded by Tra last year under Naxos, was presented in this concert. This was based on a Chinese love song of the same name written in the 50s. It was a genuine evolution of the original theme to the present form of a polyrhythmic piano work.
The final piece in the programme – Chopin’s Piano Sonata No. 3 in B minor, Op. 58, evolved from the classical-era Mozart of the programme into a four-movement Romantic masterpiece.
It was the closing concert for the Beare’s Premiere Music Festival. A wonderful evening with the roster of artists for this special occasion.
The first half of concert started with tenor Robin Tritschler and pianist Shai Wosner on Schumann’s Eichendorff Liederkreis, Op. 39, with a poem from Joseph von Eichendorff. It was then followed by Beethoven’s Grosse Fuge, Op. 134 arranged for piano four hands where pianist Shai Wosner joined by another pianist Orion Weiss. Back from a short break, tenor Robin Tritschler began the second half with the presentation of Vaughan Williams’s On Wenlock Edge, onstage together with pianist Shai Wosner and Miró Quartet. The final piece in the programme was Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E flat major, Op. 44 – probably one of the all-time-favourite piano quintets among the entire repertoire in piano quintets. The piano quintet, with violinists Ning Feng and So-Ock Kim, violist Oasumi Rostad, cellist Gary Hoffman and pianist Orion Weiss, delivered a brilliant, lively, energetic and powerful performance. Personally, my favourite was the Scherzo third movement, feeling the closing concert reaching its climax with great success.
A vocal recital presented by two of the foremost singers from Hong Kong – soprano Colette Lam and mezzo-soprano Carol Lin – for Bold Faith Campaign, a fundraising initiative for a permanent premises in the Hong Kong Island. The concert programme was full of classical and modern arias and duets from renowned masterpieces including Handel’s Messiah, Vivaldi’s Gloria, Bizet’s Carmen, Verdi’s Messa da Requiem and many more.
