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Gloucestershire Echo Review
James Lisney: Schubert - Pittville Pump Room, Cheltenham
Monday 1st February 2010
From a velvet glove to an iron hand, James Lisney interpreted Schubert’s Moments Musicaux and Impromptus in meaningful and impassioned piano playing, concentrating on those written in 1827.
Moments Musicaux D780 swept from the tender graceful sections of No 1, with purringly soft pianissimo sections, to the ever-familiar dancing Andantino No 2, to the continuously busy movement of No 4 and insistent demanding Allegro Vivace No 5.
Capturing magnetic linking narratives in the two separate sets of Impromptus, James imbued wonderful colour and warmth in his performance.
Beginning with impelling and long-held widely-spaced G octaves in D 899, the journey took us through Schubert’s abstract imagery.
The familiar languid melody of the No 3 In G Flat played sensuously in this black-noted key gave way to the tumbling accompaniment of No 4.
The final set of Impromptus D 935 brought James’ gentlest of touches producing whispers of notes in No 1, the familiar Rosamunde theme in No 6 and a dazzlingly technical display in the scale runs, trills, hemiolia and other devices in the final Impromptu No 8.
Concluding with Chopin’s Impromptu In G Flat, the seduction of a laudatory audience was complete.
Jill Bacon
<< more newsMonday 1st February 2010
From a velvet glove to an iron hand, James Lisney interpreted Schubert’s Moments Musicaux and Impromptus in meaningful and impassioned piano playing, concentrating on those written in 1827.
Moments Musicaux D780 swept from the tender graceful sections of No 1, with purringly soft pianissimo sections, to the ever-familiar dancing Andantino No 2, to the continuously busy movement of No 4 and insistent demanding Allegro Vivace No 5.
Capturing magnetic linking narratives in the two separate sets of Impromptus, James imbued wonderful colour and warmth in his performance.
Beginning with impelling and long-held widely-spaced G octaves in D 899, the journey took us through Schubert’s abstract imagery.
The familiar languid melody of the No 3 In G Flat played sensuously in this black-noted key gave way to the tumbling accompaniment of No 4.
The final set of Impromptus D 935 brought James’ gentlest of touches producing whispers of notes in No 1, the familiar Rosamunde theme in No 6 and a dazzlingly technical display in the scale runs, trills, hemiolia and other devices in the final Impromptu No 8.
Concluding with Chopin’s Impromptu In G Flat, the seduction of a laudatory audience was complete.
Jill Bacon
