Some superb playing from Jeremy Chan in that oasis of beauty and peace that is St Mary’s Perivale
The beauty of the surrounding countryside was enhanced by the beauty of Mozart, Bach Shostakovich and Franck . If music be the food of love play on………..!
I have heard Jeremy play on many occasions, the first in Angela Hewitt’s masterclasses in Perugia when he had just obtained his degree in English Literature at Durham University. He has since gone on to dedicate himself, without distraction, to music, obtaining his Artist’s Diploma last summer from the Guildhall in London. His playing has now grown quite considerably in stature since that very first time in Italy https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2023/08/24/angelas-generosity-and-infectious-song-and-dance-inspires-her-illustrious-students/
He ended the concert in Perivale with the ‘Prelude Chorale and Fugue’ by César Franck, which is a work that I have heard him play in concerts previously. It was played with great authority as the improvised ‘Prelude’ was sustained from the bass that gave an architectural shape to a movement that in lesser hands can seem very fragmented. The ‘Chorale’ unwound with great beauty the chords finding a glistening radiance with the top notes shining brightly. There was an ease and naturalness to his playing that allowed the climax and glorious exultation of the ‘Chorale’ to grow from the deep bass notes that were the anchor on which this work is based. The ‘Fugue’ was played with simplicity and clarity as it built up ever more intensely with passionate conviction and sumptuous full sounds. Out of this climax emerges the magic cloud of sounds with which the ‘Prelude’ had opened and which Jeremy played with such unforced simplicity . Never underlining the melodic line but allowing it to magically emerge as gradually Franck combines all three melodic strands together in a tumultuous climax of strength and exhilaration. But above all from Jeremy’s hands a sense of exultation and revelation.
You can read a more detailed review in the articles below.
The ‘little’ D major Sonata by Mozart I have not heard Jeremy play before and it was a surprise that he could play with such simplicity but also bringing such operatic character to the first and last movements A brilliance as one phrase answered another in a beguiling musical conversation of spirited energy and eloquence. Whilst the ‘Allegro con spirito’ was all brilliance and extraordinary musical invention,not least the quiet calming final bars of refined elegance after such scintillating ebullience.There was a charm and grace to the Rondó, which is by far the longest of the three movements, because Mozart could not contain his inventive genius. Jeremy brought to it a sense of discovery every time the Rondó theme reappeared and there was a real operatic feel to the scene that was being played out with such enjoyment before our very eyes. The ‘Andante con expressione’ central movement is one of those sublime moments that marks Mozart out as a Genius. It was played with a refined beauty of poignant meaning with a subtle palette of colours which enhanced this extraordinary movement.
It is rare to see just one Prelude and Fugue on a concert programme but Jeremy had cleverly combined it with two by Shostakovich that were directly inspired by Bach. Shostakovich was on the jury of the Bach Competition in Leipzig when he was inspired by Tatyana Nikolaeva’s playing to write his own which he dedicated to her. The Bach in E flat Book 1 was played with radiance as Jeremy used freely the pedal to add to the mellifluous beauty of the prelude almost as an improvisation before the great character he brought to the fugue.
Its was the same improvised freedom that he brought to Shostakovich op 87 n. 3. It’s great opening declamation played in unison between the hands with it’s majestic opening of reverberating sounds. It was in startling contrast with the Fugue that was a frenzy of knotty twine played with scintillating clarity and rhythmic energy. The sonorous bass of op 87 n. 12 was contrasted with the bold contours of the fugue that was played with dynamic drive and searing conviction.
Jeremy Chan is an award-winning concert pianist based in London. He holds an Artist Diploma as well as a Masters degree with Concert Recital Diploma from the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. He also obtained a bachelor’s degree in English Literature from Durham University. In 2023 and 2024, Jeremy won both the Guildhall Beethoven Prize and the Guildhall Romantic Prize. He also won second prize at the Tunbridge Wells International Music Competition. In July 2023, he made his concerto debut at St John’s Smith Square with the London City Orchestra playing Rachmaninov’s Second Piano Concerto. In the summer of 2023, he was invited to work with pianist Angela Hewitt for a week in Italy. He has made appearances in festivals such as the London Piano Festival and Un Piano Sous Les Arbes in France.
Jeremy has performed in different venues including Kings Place, Steinway Hall London, St John’s Smith Square, Silk Street Concert Hall, Milton Court Concert Hall, Salle Gilles Lefebvre, Durham University Concert Hall and City Lit Recital Room. Jeremy has worked with and received great insight from world-renowned musicians such as Angela Hewitt, Dame Imogen Cooper, Sir Stephen Hough, Jonathan Biss, André Laplante, Jean Saulnier, Dmitri Alexeev, Ilya Poletaev, Graham Scott and Katya Apekisheva. Jeremy is also an avid chamber musician and is currently a member of the Wayfarer Trio with cellist William Lui and clarinettist Kosuke Shirai. In 2025, Jeremy completed his Artist Diploma at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama with Noriko Ogawa, Charles Owen and Ronan O’ Hora.
Alongside his performing career, Jeremy is an active writer on classical music. He publishes regularly on his Substack newsletter On Music & Making featuring concert reviews, essays, and conversations with leading musical figures.
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 