The “Grand” piano of Dinara Klinton
St Mary’s Perivale
I have heard and admired Dinara Klinton many times and am always astonished at the beauty of sound and clarity of thought of this amazing young artist.
Even more so today knowing – only after the concert- that she had shut her finger in the bus door on the way to the concert!
It meant a painful time for her but such is her professionality we were never aware of anything except the sumptuous feast of music that she treated us to today.
Starting this full length afternoon recital at St Mary’s Perivale with a twenty five minute feast of Tchaikowsky.The famous Humoresque op 10 I have heard before but never the Nocturne that precedes it.
From the very first notes there was a magical liquid sound and some very subtle counterpoints to the poignant flexibility of the melodic line in the Nocturne.
Ending in a whisper it paved the way for the famous Humoresque.
With a teasing sense of rhythm and a kaleidoscope of subtle colours and pianissimi of exquisite charm ending in a veritable puff of smoke.
The Valse Sentimentale op 51 n.6 is full of that typical yearning ,nostalgia that is so much part of the Russian spirit.This too was played with a quite irresistible charm.
The deep lament of the Meditation op 72 was played with such subtle colouring.
Great rhetorical sentiment and a quite magical trill to end.
The Andante-Maestoso from the “Nutcracker Suite” in the Pletnev arrangement closed this group of pieces by Tchaikowsky.A great virtuoso transcription in which Dinara with her noble sense of balance and fearless virtuosity swept up and down the keyboard with breathtaking splashes of sound.Her complete control of balance and sumptuous sense of colour brought this group of salon pieces to an astonishing end in the style of the great pianists of a bygone age.
The first half closed with the Sonata n.4 in C minor op 29 by Prokofiev.
The absolute clarity and control from the first sinister bass notes took us so clearly to the final burst of startling mettalic final chords of the first movement .The relentless throbbing of the second movement in which the magical melodic line is allowed to float led to a frenzied climax.The diabolic virtuosity of Prokofiev in the last movement with its scherzo type melody ,so typical of these early sonatas .was played with a drive and startling sense of inevitability.Dinara had guided us through this maze of sounds with an unusual clarity and sense of direction.
Dinara at the end of a memorable recital
Three Scarlatti sonatas followed after the interval.
Such clarity and crystal clear ornaments that glistened in the serenity of K. 11 in C minor.
K 545 in B flat was played with a rhythmic propulsion and such subtle dynamic contrasts.The beating of the drum in the left hand and the playful syncopation gave a great ‘joie de vivre’ to this little gem.K.208 in A was played with a gloriously delicate melodic line.
The Sonata in A op 101 by Beethoven opened in a most pastoral way her great sense of balance allowing the melody to sing but always integrated into the harmonic structure of the whole.The first movement had a great sense of serenity and space due to her very subtle use of pedal and the flexibility of the simple melodic line.The second movement had a relentles rhythmic drive with a great sense of control.Beethoven’s pedal markings meticulously interpreted and integrated into dynamic contrasts to startling effect.The Adagio was allowed to sing so beautifully and the return of the first theme that heralds the finale was pure magic.The Allegro was played with great rhythmic energy like water bubbling in the brook.
A great sense of forward impetus and a startling sense of contrast starting almost inaudibly with an impressive left hand in the fugato that built up gradually to a very convincing climax.A performance in which she had seen the great architectutal shape that Beethoven had intended and her sumptuous sound world allowed her to shape it from the first to the last note so simply.
Two Transcendental studies of Liszt closed the programme.
Dinara has recored all twelve of the transcendental studies that have long been acclaimed by the press.
In n.9 ”Ricordanza”from the very first notes we were taken to the world of the Romantic salons.Seemless scales played with a delicacy that accompanied the elegance of the melodic line.A sense of style that reminded one of the old recordings of Egon Petri or Nikita Magaloff.
The study in F minor n.10 was played with diabolical virtuosity and great sense of passion.
A grandeur that reminded us of how grand the piano can sound in the hands of a master.
No encores possible as she told us the remarkable story of her finger that was injured in the bus just a few minutes before she had to play.
St Mary’s grave yard
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 
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