Extraordinary recital by the seventeen year old Julian Trevelyan at St James`s Piccadilly today. Presented by Canan Maxton from Talent Unlimited that together with David McCleery ,concerts manager of St James’s and Heather J.Turnham of Bedford Concerts gave us the possibility to hear this still very young pianist.

The unknown young man who took the Marguerite Long Competition in Paris by storm last year.

And it was infact in “Warum” by Schumann ,played as an encore that showed to the full his remarkable artistry. A wonderful sense of balance that allowed this difficult Fazioli to sing as it very rarely does in other hands. Allied already to a great musical personality that was immediately obvious from the arpeggiated chords in the opening statement of Busoni’s great transcription of the Bach Chaconne.

Originally written for violin solo,his mentor Elizabeth Altman told me afterwards that he insisted in breaking the chords as would be done on the violin.Even Busoni did not do that on his famous piano roll performance but it just showed the sort of commitment from this young man.

His superb sense of balance meant that in the climaxes he was able to take us by storm with his generous but never percussive full orchestral sound. Of course in the final his youthful passion got the better of him and he lost some of his remarkable self control of tempo and pedal in his zeal.Surely the great final bass notes are organ stops and not percussive pillars ,as Agosti a pupil of Busoni was always keen to point out ,even though very excitingly played.Some very interesting re arrangements of the hands too showed a man born to play the piano.

Faure`s rarely heard but charming Valse Caprice op.30 was given a scintillating performance showing a real understanding of the style and subtle salon colours,but always within the bounds of the aristocratic good taste of the French.

Let me say straight away that Scarbo that completed his performance of Gaspard de la Nuit was one of the most remarkable that I have heard. Here the great final climax was given with such passionate restraint and real virtuosity .

But it was the central section that was remarkable seeming to enter like mist and the subtle slow awakening that led so magnificently to that final climax. Some very original colouring too in some of the most hair raisingly difficult escapades of this little demon.

Le Gibet was given with.such a consistent rhythmic impulse allied to the most subtle colouring around the insistent tolling bell.

Ondine that opens this extraordinary almost revolutionary work of Ravel was played with the restraint and undemonstrative virtuosity of a real master. Beautiful pedal effect of that final simple reappearance of Ondine,a not very nice accent on the penultimate note but even that was resolved on the last note by this young artist who actually listens to every note with technical and musical mastery that mark him out and will indeed be a name to watch in the near future as he makes his inevitable ascent .

Finally letting his hair down with a scintillating jazz etude by Kapustin,rather too long ,but when you are young and letting your hair down one can only stand and cheer