Isaac Albeniz: Rondeña – from Iberia Book 2

Alexander Scriabin: Sonata No. 2 in G# minor Op. 19

Sergei Rachmaninoff: Variations on a Theme of Corelli Op. 42

Maurice Ravel: Alborada del gracioso – from Miroirs

Presented in association with Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance

https://youtube.com/live/qJJwEkfRdLw?feature=shared

The four books of Iberia by Albeniz are considered his masterpiece and Rondeña that Hao Zi played today is from the second book .A famous New York critic writing about Alicia de Larrocha’s performance simply said : “There is really nothing in Isaac Albeniz’s Iberia that a good three-handed pianist could not master, given unlimited years of practice and permission to play at half tempo. But there are few pianists thus endowed.” Hao Zi has no need for three hands because she has a sense of style and colour allied to excitement and passion that brought this beautiful piece vividly to life.A technical command that allowed the music to flow so naturally with a subtle sense of rubato and beguiling sense of character.The beautiful ending suddenly capriciously springing to life with a typical Spanish click of the heels and stamp of the feet.

I have heard her play the Scriabin early Fantasy Sonata many times but today she played with an authority and sense of colour that can only come from a long association with a work that is loved and deeply felt.There was from the very first notes a sumptuous sense of colour and a beguiling rubato of insinuating delicacy.A melodic line in the tenor register of rich beauty as it was embellished by beautiful sounds that just glowed with wonderfully subtle colours as it gradually built to a climax .The opening gentle chords suddenly became imperious and noble only to dissolve into a world of ravishingly beautiful waves of sound.The second movement was breathtaking with its dynamic rhythmic drive bursting into melodic life with passionate ecstasy.A technical command and fluidity of sound and movement that allowed the music to weave its way with simplicity and brilliance.

The Corelli Variations by Rachmaninov I have not heard her play before as she had decided to change her programme a year ago due to some muscular problems.She now tells me that these problems have been resolved simply by ensuring that her hands are kept warm before playing.These Rachmaninov variations are based on a popular traditional melody called La Follia (a madness) incorrectly attributed to Corelli .It was written in 1931 in Rachmaninov’s country home in Switzerland and was dedicated to his friend, the violinist Fritz Kreisler. Rachmaninov wrote to the composer Nikolai Medtner , on 21 December 1931: ‘I’ve played the Variations about fifteen times, but of these fifteen performances only one was good. The others were sloppy. I can’t play my own compositions! And it’s so boring! Not once have I played these all in continuity. I was guided by the coughing of the audience. Whenever the coughing would increase, I would skip the next variation. Whenever there was no coughing, I would play them in proper order. In one concert, I don’t remember where – some small town – the coughing was so violent that I played only ten variations (out of 20). My best record was set in New York, where I played 18 variations. However, I hope that you will play all of them, and won’t “cough”.

The theme was played by Hao Zi with delicacy gently coming to life with the first variations.The delicate legato and staccato of the second was answered by the almost too serious third and fourth only to contrast with the dynamic rhythmic energy of the fifth and sixth .An outpouring of continuous movement over the long held pedal note of D was brought to a conclusion with thunderous cascades of notes .A beautifully inquisitive Adagio misterioso was played with exquisite delicacy as it expanded with a sumptuous build up of delicate arabesques only to explode into three variation of dynamic rhythmic energy and technical finesse.The agitato before the half way cadenza that leads from minor to major was played with unusual grace.What poignant beauty Hao Zi brought to the major key of D flat with the exquisite luminosity of the fifteenth variation leading to a tumultuous build up to the twentieth variation of triumphant octaves spread over the entire keyboard.Over the long held pedal note of D suddenly the clouds cleared and the beautifully expansive coda was revealed with real artistry as Hao Zi allowed the music to unfold with beautiful enticing counterpoints before the final beautifully placed two chords in the home key.

Alborada del gracioso I have heard Hao Zi play many times and it always astonishes me her superb technical control and how she manages to play the double glissandi with such sumptuous ease and mastery.She even manages to convey the hot boiling passion that is concealed in the recitativi.

I very much look forward to her major London debut for the prestigious Kirckman Concert Society at Kings Place on the first of July.

Hao Zi Yoh is a Malaysian pianist based in London. She is a top prize winner in many international piano competitions including Rome International Piano Competition. She has performed around Europe, USA, China, Japan and Malaysia both as a soloist and chamber
musician, in venues such as Wigmore Hall, Southbank Royal Festival Hall, Salle Cortot,Steinway Hall London, St. Martin-in-the-Fields, Dewan Filharmonik Petronas and Teatro Quirino. She also performed with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic, Nova Amadeus and Baleares Symphony Orchestra. Most recently, she has given concert tour in Northern Italy
organised by the Keyboard Charitable Trust, and has been selected as an Artist for the Kirckman Concert Society 2023/24.
Hao Zi also participated in creative outreach projects led by the Open Academy for children and elderly with Dementia, where she performed in Music for Moment Concerts at the Wigmore Hall. She collaborated with author-illustrator David Litchfield and improvised to his award-winning book “The Bear and the Piano”. Hao Zi remains in close
contact with the music scene in Malaysia. She has given talks, performances and masterclasses to the students of University of Malaya, Bentley Music and Persatuan Chopin in hope to share her experiences and help the younger generation.
Hao Zi continues to develop her performing career in addition to tutoring at King’s College, London. Apart from giving masterclasses, Hao Zi also organised livestreams and charity fundraisers during the London-lockdown 2021.Currently she is studying with Martino Tirimo, after being awarded full scholarship to pursue an Artist Diploma at Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, generously
supported by the Bagri Foundation, Gladys Bratton and TCL Scholarship. Her previous teachers include Elza Kolodin at Music University of Freiburg, Germany and later at Royal Academy of Music under Christopher Elton.

Hao Zi Yoh Italian tour for the Keyboard Trust.The refined elegance and sensibility of a great artist