A memorable recital from Edward Leung who has come through all the problems at the start of a career in a foreign land and has become an artist of great stature.
Fingers that like limpets caress the keys and seem to suck sounds out of radiance and beauty without ever resorting to percussive hitting of the keys .A clarity not only of sound but also of musical thought that brought to mind Charles Rosen.

A Beethoven Sonata unjustly neglected for its ‘Moonlight ‘ twin was given a performance of Arrau like stature where the return of the Adagio con espressione in the final page was of a poignancy of aristocratic musicianship .

Even Berio’s little ‘Wasserklavier’ was played with a simplicity and luminosity of sound and brought to mind Cherkassky when playing in Empoli the town where Busoni was born and where Berio lived nearby.A visit to Berio’s home to hear his star prodigy Andrea Lucchesini a pupil of Maria Tipo play these encore pieces.Shura was very impressed and soon added the ‘Wasserklavier ‘to his repertoire.

It linked up so beautifully with the opening of Liszt’s wonderful tone poem that is his 11th Transcendental Study :’Harmonies du Soir’.A gradual opening with a kaleidoscope of sounds leading to the sumptuous full spread chords where Edward drew sounds of beauty and richness that lead to the simplicity and beauty of the ‘Più lento con intimo sentimento’.A masterly build up of intensity to the sumptuous outpouring of passionate sounds only to disappeared to a whisper with the three last chords place as only a true artist could do.

The Schumann late Fantasiestucke not as often heard as his early Fantasy pieces and that by coincidence Cherkassky used to play as a prelude to the Liszt Sonata .Edward has the perfect sound for Schumann where the melody just emerged from the rich golden sounds that swirled all around with burning intensity.The second piece was of Schubertian simplicity as the music was an outpouring of song given such architectural shape.The last of these three pieces was played dignified weight and a crystal clear melodic line and after a quixotic central section the quasi capricious ending was played with great weight and beauty.

Pour le piano closed this superb recital with a display of playing that I have only heard from the greatest of players.Rubinstein would often play just the Prelude with its poetic meanderings leading to glissandi fanfares that Edward played with the same flair and showmanship.There was a purity of sound to the Sarabande that was a complete contrast to the Prelude with it’s serenity and pleading leaning appoggiaturas.The Toccata was played with astonishing clarity and rhythmic drive.The sumptuous outpouring of melody was like rays of sun shining ever more brightly until the explosive brilliance of the final bars.
Beethoven with a little twist was the encore that Edward offered to an enthusiastic audience.Simplicity and beauty were combined with the grace and charm of the well known Fur Elise.But then unexpectedly Edward got in a twist suddenly letting his hair down as jazz style boogy- woogie suddenly took over finishing with an exhilarating flourish that had Edward on his feet.

Edward is not only a great musician with an enviable technical command of the piano but he is also a showman not afraid ,like the great pianists of the past,to let their hair down once the serious business has been concluded .

Lauded as one of ’16 Incredibly Impressive Students at Princeton University’ by Business Insider, American pianist Edward Leung has performed solo recitals and appeared with orchestras across North America, Europe, and Asia. Highlights of the 2023-2024 season include inaugurating the teatime piano concert series at HHH Concerts, recitals with Tim Posner in Nottingham and London, and appearances at Wigmore Hall, Razumovsky Academy, Musicfest Aberystwyth and Menuhin Hall. He has recently appeared at Southbank Centre, International Musicians Seminar at Prussia Cove, Bridgewater Hall, St George’s Bristol, and Cranleigh Arts. He is supported by the Keyboard Charitable Trust, MMSF Piano Fellowship and Live Music Now UK. His debut album with Usha Kapoor on Resonus Classics was released in January 2024. 

A sought-after chamber musician, Edward has collaborated with some of the most important chamber musicians of today, including members of the Artemis, Lindsay, and Elias String Quartets, as well as David Campbell, Willam Hagen, Viviane Hagner, Guy Johnston, Boris Kucharsky, Charles Neidich, and Rafal Zambrzycki-Payne. He has worked in masterclasses with Ferenc Rados, Richard Goode, Stephen Kovacevich, Joseph Kalichstein, and Nikolai Demidenko. After studies at Princeton University and the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire with Francine Kay and Pascal Nemirovski, Edward is currently the Staff Pianist at The Yehudi Menuhin School. 

Edward Leung beauty and introspection at St Mary’s

In Praise of Liszt- Annual Day and International Piano Competition of the Liszt Society