Simone Tavoni at Steinway Hall for the Keyboard Trust

Illustrious company for Simone Tavoni`s debut recital for The Keyboard Trust.
The founder fathers John Leech and Noretta Conci-Leech were joined by artistic directors Leslie Howard and Elena Vorotko.

Canan Maxton from Talent unlimited of which Simone is disciple was also present.

Deniz Arman Gelenbe had flown in from Paris to hear Simone whom she had prepared for his Artists diploma at Trinity Laban.
It was interesting to see that he had acquired his Masters at the RCM with Andrew Ball.

A whispered Mozart Variations on “La Belle Francoise “and the dramatic declarations of Liszt`s great homage to Dante.A delicate and intricate Paysages by Mompou led to one of the most lyrical of Prokofiev`s Sonatas.

Number 5 is the calm before the storm of the War Trilogy that followed.

I quote from Leslie Howard :” Simone Tavoni played like a man possessed, and it was spellbinding! Best Prokofiev 5th Sonata I’ve ever heard!
By the way, Christopher, Simone played the revised version of the 5th Sonata – opus 135 rather than opus 38 – which was the last opus number that Prokofiev completed – so some years after the 9th Sonata!!”

A surprise encore of a short piece that had come to Simone during the night!

Inspired by Mompou it showed off all the subtle colours that flow from Simone`s hands.

The second student that I had heard this week of that evident magician Andrew Ball.I had just heard at St Mary`s the day before Thomas Kelly searching for the same sounds as Simone today.

Some of the most beautiful Mozart I have ever heard came from the hands of his other former teacher Deniz Arman Gelenbe.https://www.facebook.com/notes/christopher-axworthy/all-about-mozart-with-deniz-arman-gelenbe-and-friends/10154687162992309/

His mentor Leslie Howard overseeing his studies away from his/our beloved homeland of Italy.

Mention should be made of a very remarkable man in Italy with whom both Simone and Jonathan Ferrucci had studied in their youth in Florence.Anyone who has had the fortune to read conversations with Giovanni Carmassi with Prof Ferrucci will realise where the seed of great talent was sown.https://www.facebook.com/notes/christopher-axworthy/hii-am-jonathan-i-have-no-planb-jonathan-ferrucci-in-london-for-the-keyboard-tru/10156554619947309/

As with so many things the world of civilisation starts in Florence.

A book easily on a par with the pianist`s bible of Neuhaus.

Noretta Conci was enthusiastic for Simone`s range of sound.

She was the assistant for many years of Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli who was one of the first to have discovered the rare scores of the recluse Mompou.
Simone asking forgiveness from Leslie Howard for one or two blemishes in the Prokofiev that only he would have noticed was glad and visibly relieved to hear of Leslie`s unqualified enthusiasm for his performance.

Having arrived to help with an acoustic rehearsal,Leslie insisted on the Steinway lid being fully open where Simone had been somewhat intimidated by the great sounds in this small hall.
Leslie of course with his great experience was right to insist and after some slight tip toeing in Mozart Simone came into his own during the great Dante Sonata.https://www.facebook.com/notes/christopher-axworthy/tea-for-two-leslie-howard-45th-wigmore-celebration-and-burnett-thompson-the-age-/10156917413147309/

Leslie who I heard in Siena almost 50 years ago in Agostis class where the world flocked to learn from this great Italian master, disciple of Busoni.

I reminded him of a canadian student Jack Krichaf who had brought a piece by Mompou to play.

Red rag to a bull indeed,and Agosti put the score in the waste bin with “now play me some music”!!

If only he had heard the delicacy and intelligence with which Simone played Paysages today!