In search of Moura…….poor Moura she hated the bust that shared a place of honour with Myra Hess at the Royal Academy where now sits a tv screen!
Both prize students of their beloved Tobias Matthay or Uncle Tobbs as he was known to them.Two great pianists,both women and Dames of the British Empire.
How Moura Lympany would have loved to hear the ever youthful looking Pascal Rogé talking about balance,sound and projection.Harmonically conscious and flexibility from this pianist that Julius Katchen had promoted in the last years of his short life.
I remember a seventeen year old towselled haired blond youth making his debut at the Wigmore Hall with an ashen faced Julius Katchen applauding his star pupil.
A recording by Decca followed as did a worldwide career.
Full concert performances from all three students today and only afterwards some very helpful comments from Pascal Rogé
Some beautiful playing from Antonie Préat with an excellent orchestra in Julian Chen.The Ravel G major Concerto played with great assurance and extraordinary control.
Gabrielè Sutkuté with an equally expert orchestra in Bocheng Wang in a very passionately persuasive performance of Grieg’s Piano Concerto.
Wouter Valvekens gave a very sensitive account of Chopin’s Fantasie in F minor.
Rogé asking for more clarity and bell like resonance at the top of the piano.
Projection and sense of balance was his cry.
Purity of line like Mozart in the Ravel slow movement.
A crystal like clarity that can arrive to the first row of the audience as to the last.
All things that are characteristics of his own very refined playing.
Shared with us today with all the simplicity that is still so much part of the true Parisian irresistible charm
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Pilar Fernandez and Piers Lane
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ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 