Andras Schiff at the Chopin and His Europe Festival

The recital by the beloved Andras Schiff on Tuesday, August 25^th, in Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall, provided a very interesting contrast from Eric Lu’s performance the evening prior. 

 

From a distinguished, hugely talented young artist at the outset of his artistic journey, to an artist that brings to each performance a lifetime of deep thinking and experience, each of the two artists have something unique and special to offer, and their performances underscore the beauty of great art, in how different artists could bring something unique and original to even the most familiar works of art.

 

Schiff sat down at the Steinway piano and tantalized the audience with the Aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations, and proceeded to perform Bach’s youthful Capriccio on the Departure of a Beloved Brother, BWV 992. Schiff did not try to make the music greater than what it is, but performed it with great charm and humour.

 

More Bach follows as Schiff continued with the French Suite No. 5 in G Major, BWV 816, a performance that underscores the artist’s refined culture and musicality. Without a pause, he launched into Mozart’s Eine kleine Gigue, K. 574, highlighting the forward-looking and pointillistic characteristic of this late (1780) work. For the entire first half, Schiff was effectively highlighting the influence of Bach on the composition of Mozart. 

 

The artist returned to Bach with a profound interpretation of a Recercar from Bach’s A Musical Offering, BWV 1079, and then Mozart’s Fantasy in C minor, K. 475, making the connection between the chromaticism of the Bach with that of the opening of the Mozart.

 

Schiff then played the first two movements of Mozart’s Sonata in F Major, K. 533, another work that demonstrated the composer’s debt to Bach. The more than generous first half concluded with a spirited performance of Bach’s Italian Concerto, BWV 971. I was especially taken with his interpretation of the third movement (Presto), where he did not fall into the “speed trap”, but highlighted the different voices of the ripieno and concertino, in a performance that was always musical and exciting.

 

In the second half, Schiff played on Chopin’s last Pleyel piano, restored by Paul McNulty, beginning with Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in C Major, from Book 1 of the Well-Tempered Klavier. I was very happily surprised when he launched into a performance of Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28. It was an astounding performance, brimming with incredible lyricism and beauty.

 

Not surprisingly, his playing of the stormy Prelude in D minor that concluded the set resulted in a rousing – and well-deserved - ovation. This was then followed by an exceedingly generous five encores – Chopin’sMazurka in A minor, Op. 17, No. 4, Mozart’s Rondo in A minor, K. 511, Chopin’s Mazurka in C Major, Op. 24, No. 2 and Waltz in A minor, Op. 34, No. 2, and concluding the already very full evening with the Nocturne in F-sharp Major, Op. 15, No. 2. In the Mozart, Schiff kept the impetus as well as the almost dance-like feel of this music, which even more effectively highlighted its ambivalence of emotion. Each of the Chopin performance had something special to offer, and served as a reminder that a great artist such as Schiff would have insights into whatever he chooses to play.

 

I was filled with gratitude at the conclusion of these two incredible evenings, to have experienced the music-making of two such outstanding artists. We have the Chopin Institute to thank for inviting these distinguished artists and ensemble to grace the stage of Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall.

Eric Lu - Return to Warsaw

How does someone living in Vancouver get to hear the Montreal Symphony Orchestra? By traveling to Warsaw, of course!

The Montreal Symphony Orchestra was appearing in the prestigious Chopin and His Europe Festival this year. I missed Sunday night’s performance, but hearing this great Canadian orchestra on Monday (August 24th) left an indelible impression on me.

The concert opened with a transcription of Debussy’s L’isle joyeuse. The orchestration is an effective one, a showcase for the strengths of the ensemble. Music director Rafael Payare drew out beautiful colours from the solo players of the orchestra and marvellously highlighted the splashes of colours in the score. 

For me, there are two composers whose piano works are almost impossible to transcribe, because they are composed so specifically for the instrument – Chopin and Debussy. While I could hear the colourful orchestration of L’isle joyeuse, I would still far prefer the original piano version, which is a stunning piece of writing for the instrument, and is, ironically, more effective than an orchestral arrangement.

There are probably many who still think of Eric Lu as the brilliant young man who stole the hearts of many at the 2015 International Chopin Competition in Warsaw, where he received the award for 4th place. To be sure, the overwhelming talent is still evident, but is now tempered by age, experience, and maturity. Lu’s performance of Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 1 in E minor last evening should have left no doubt in anyone’s mind that a true artist and musician took home the gold medal in the 2025 competition. 

It was an emotional experience for me to sit in Warsaw’s Philharmonic Hall, where so many great performances of this very work took place here over the years. Eric Lu’s performance last night towered over even his own astounding performance of the Concerto in F minor in the finals last year. During the 30-plus minutes of the performance, we witnessed a great artist at work. The poetry and lyricism were still evident, but there was so much more. It was playing that struck the perfect balance between thoughtfulness and spontaneity, between ardent emotion and restraint, and between youthful spirit and deep musical maturity. In many of the passagework in the outer movements, Lu’s virtuosity gave any 16-year-old “genius” more than a run for their money. But it was the beauty of his sound, the depth of his feeling, and the perfect way he shaped each phrase, all without sacrificing the overall architecture of the work, that made the performance so special. 

For me, it was one of the most moving performances of this concerto I have heard in recent memory, far, far beyond any of the outstanding performances in the competition last year.

Eric Lu’s music making is interesting. When he plays, it is as if one is eavesdropping on someone playing for himself. At the same time, with the beauty and luminosity of his playing, one cannot help but be drawn into his private sound world. I am convinced that Lu is one of today’s finest young artists.

Payare and the orchestra were, for the most part, sympathetic partners in Lu’s enterprise. This is a challenging concerto for both orchestra and conductor, and it really takes a conductor sensitive to the soloist’s musical train of thought to bring off a successful performance. Between soloist, conductor and orchestra, the performers brought off the concerto very successfully. I was only wondering about how Payare phrased the playing of the opening tutti, which somehow made the phrases sound a bit clipped and disjointed. Perhaps he was trying to create contrast here with the long legato lines of the piano solo?

After a well-deserved standing ovation, Lu sat down and played Chopin’s Prelude in D-flat Major, Op. 28, No. 15, with the same depth of sound and feeling he instilled into the concerto.

In the second half, the Montreal Symphony Orchestra under Rafael Payare showcased Richard Strauss’ epic tone poem, Ein Heldenleben. A few years ago, I heard this same work under the baton of one of the orchestra’s former music director, Zubin Mehta, and I was still carrying the sound of that performance in my head as I eagerly awaited last night’s performance. 

From the first notes, Payare injected an incredible energy into the music, energy that he and the orchestra kept until the end. It was a performance of great brilliance, ensemble accuracy, colour and excitement. To be sure, it was a performance of great sonic splendor. In time, perhaps Payare would take a step back and give the many introspective moments (yes, there are those) greater depth of feeling. I must commend concertmaster Andrew Wan for the incredible flair he brought to his very demanding solo part.

I am grateful for the opportunity to experience this great performance by one of Canada’s most distinguished orchestras, and in one of Europe’s greatest musical festivals - yes, my Canadian heart was swelling with pride. From the introspection and beauty of Eric Lu’s playing to the ultra-extroverted – in the best sense of the word – performance of the Strauss, it was truly a feast for the ears.

A Memorable Debut

Pianist Vincent Ong made his Vancouver and Canadian debut this past Sunday with a recital that left no doubt that this is a major talent in the making.

 

Vincent’s recital began, a little bit unusually, with the entire set of Chopin’s Preludes, Op. 28, a work that typically ends a recital. The young artist sat down at the piano bench and plunged right into the tricky first piece in C Major. From beginning to end, I have the impression that his art has deepened in the months since his performances in Warsaw last October. From first note to last, Ong has an uncanny way of drawing the listeners into his sound world, of inviting, rather than demanding, us to share in his musical discovery. 

 

Unlike so many young pianists who set out to impress, or to wow us with their superior virtuosity or musical profundity. That said, let’s make it clear that the virtuosity, the fireworks are there, in spades, when the music calls for them. One could immediately think of the preludes in F-sharp minor (No. 8), in G-sharp minor, (No. 12), in B-flat minor (No. 16), and the one in D minor (No. 24). The more lyrical ones, for instance, in F-sharp Major (No. 13), were brimming with lyricism, with the chords in the right hand floating above the flowing left-hand accompaniment. Still others, like the Prelude in G Major (No. 3), the charming Prelude in A Major (No. 7), and the Prelude in C-sharp minor (No. 10), were filled with flights of fantasy. 

 

The works of Felix Mendelssohn do not show up in recital programmes very often today. The many beautifulLieder ohne Worte, much maligned by countless piano students, certainly deserve to be heard in concert halls. We have Vincent to thank for programming the lesser-known Op. 102 set. Ong does not make these lovely miniatures more than what they set out to be, but presented them with utmost naturalness, directness and musicality. The one in C Major (No. 3) was played with the most incredible lightness and agility, a reminder of the wondrous Scherzo from the composer’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and the final piece, also in C Major (No 6), was filled with a pensiveness, stillness, and a feeling of repose. 

 

In Prokofiev’s Sonata No. 8 in B-flat Major, Op. 84, we witnessed the same beautiful qualities that defined the entire recital. Right from the outset of the first movement, Ong drew us into the labyrinth of sound of the wide-ranging first theme. In the slow movement, he played the minuet with a sense of stillness, but without sacrificing the forward motion of the music. And in the blistering final movement, filled with contrasting moods, from the cheerful to the diabolical, Vincent Ong was in complete command of every element the music calls for. 

 

The single encore Vincent Ong granted to his cheering audience – Robert Schumann’s Arabeske, Op. 18 – was given a performance that reminded me of Horowitz – the flowing legato, the directness of the emotional impact, and an awestruck innocence, made the experience an extremely moving one. What a beautiful way this w  as to end this highly successful debut.

 

How wonderful and impressive it is to discover this young artist who already displays such maturity and understanding of the wide range of music he played. Even during the Chopin Competition last October, there were countless pianists who played note-perfectly, but only a handful who really moved us with their music making. I can safely say that Vincent Ong belongs at the top of that very small latter group, artists for whom the keys of the piano were not an end, but merely the means of expressing their art. 

 

We eagerly await the forthcoming chapters in this young artist’s musical journey.

 

 

2026 - Auspicious Beginnings

A Recital by Eric Lu, February 16^th

 

It has taken me many weeks to formulate my thoughts after Eric Lu’s recital at the Orpheum, part of his winner’s tour since receiving the gold medal at the 19^th International Chopin Competition in Warsaw.

 

In addition to his interpretation of the music of Chopin that has been universally acknowledged, Lu has also established himself as a very fine exponent of the music of Schubert. Hearing his playing of the first two Impromptus from Op. 142, I would say that he is already a very special Schubert interpreter, and belongs to the pantheon of names such as Brendel, Lupu, Kempff, and Schnabel (to name just a few.)

 

Some have said that Schubert composed like a sleepwalker. If that is the case, what beautiful dreams he must have had! In Lu’s playing of the Impromptu in F minor, Op. 142, No. 1, he perfectly captured the sprawling soundscape laid down by the composer, but did not fall into the trap of making it a meaningless meandering of successive musical ideas, instead, infusing the music with a sense of cohesion and unity. There were wonderful shifts in the sound colours, especially at the many major-minor shifts that is a hallmark of Schubert’s music. 

 

In the Impromptu in A-flat Major, Op. 142, No. 2, the chords in the opening and closing sections float beautifully; the music never became static. Lu moved the music along in a wonderful pace, and the transition into the flowing middle section was beautifully accomplished.

 

No doubt, many people in the audience came to hear Lu’s Chopin, and the young artist did not disappoint. Eric Lu boldly began this segment of his recital with the Polonaise in F-sharp minor, Op. 44, probably the one with the largest canvas as well as the most technically challenging. Lu gave a sweeping account of this great work, capturing perfectly the defiance and sadness inherent in the music. In the lyrical, mazurka-like, middle section, Lu revealed to us the inner beauty behind the notes. 

 

During the competition and at the recital, Lu gave arguably one of the finest interpretations of the Ballade in F minor, Op. 52. From the tentative, bell-like sound of the opening, to the fiercely dramatic, cataclysmic ending, he was in complete command of every aspect of the score, and highlighted the other-worldly beauty that is so inherent in this masterwork.

 

In the youthful Polonaise in B-flat Major, Op. 71, No. 2, Lu amply demonstrated that he could be as brilliant and virtuosic as the young firebreathers of the keyboard today. The performance underscores all the brilliance and glitter of this 1828 composition. In the (for me) death-haunted Nocturne in C-sharp minor, Op. 27, No. 1, Lu gave the feeling that the opening theme was floating on air, giving the music a crystalline sound, and captured the tension of the gradual metamorphosis into the highly dramatic middle section, before returning to the faux calmness of the opening theme.

 

In the third round of the Chopin Competition last October, I thought that Lu’s performance of the Sonata in B minor, Op. 58 alone, should have won him the gold medal. Many of the artists in the competition delivered technically perfect, even brilliant, renditions of this music, but only a few, if even that, so totally understood and captured every aspect of this late Chopin opus. 

 

There was organic unity in Lu’s interpretation of the sonata, not only in the large soundscape of the first movement, but throughout the work. In the first movement, the themes seamlessly fused one into another, rather than – as we so often hear – a mere succession of beautiful melodies. Lu’s performance of the scherzo movement was breathtaking. Indeed, I found myself holding my breath as he performed the music with an incredible agility and lightness, not to mention scintillating. And the tricky transition into the slow movement was impeccably achieved. In the largo movement, Lu brought out the inner glow and beauty of this gorgeous movement. In the final movement, Lu played the music with an almost reckless abandon, with nary a thought for the technical hurdles inherent in every page of the score. It was truly one of the great interpretations I have heard. 

 

Eric Lu’s single encore – no doubt the audience would have happily hear many more – was the Aria from Bach’s Goldberg Variations, performed for the capacity audience in the Orpheum like a hymn of gratitude and a benediction. It was the perfect ending to a beautiful afternoon.

 

There was and is no doubt in my mind that Eric Lu is a worthy recipient of the gold medal. Even with the incredibly high level of piano playing at the competition, he stood out with his artistry and the maturity of his performances. This recital in Vancouver – not surprisingly - more than confirmed my view.

 

 

 

Jun Märkl with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra, March 6^th

 

It is always a treat to see Maestro Jun Märkl to Vancouver. Last evening, he led the orchestra in a diverse and varied programme of music by Takemitsu, Prokofiev and Brahms.

 

In Takemitsu’s Ceremonial – An Autumn Ode, with Naomi Sato playing the Shō, an ancient Japanese instrument, the soloist began and ended the work with extended solos, drawing the very attentive audience in to atmosphere and other-worldly sounds laid down by the composer. Märkl painted a beautiful soundscape that provided a perfect foil to the sounds of the soloist. 

 

Stefan Jackiw gave a technically assured and musically impeccable performance of Prokofiev’s Violin Concerto No. 2 in G minor, Op. 63. In the concerto, it was Märkl’s role as a collaborator that caught my ear. Not only did he “accompany” the soloist impeccably, but he brought out the brilliant orchestration and colours that were such a hallmark of Prokofiev’s music. In the surprisingly Spanish-sounding third movement – it must have been those castanets – he perfectly captured the satirical nature of the music.

 

I have heard this orchestra in many performances of Brahms Symphony No. 1 in C minor, Op. 68, but last night’s performance would remain in my mind for a long time. 

 

In the opening of the 1^st movement, Märkl and the orchestra, especially the strings, gave the music a sense of weight and substance in the sound, but at the same time capturing the composer’s marking of un poco sostenuto, and bringing out the colours of the woodwinds above the music. The conductor masterfully maneuvered the transition into the Allegro, which was played with a palpable sense of urgency. 

 

In the Andante sostenuto movement, I have rarely heard the oboe solo played with such deep feeling and tenderness. Märkl so beautifully maintained the flow of the music that it led naturally to the entry of the violin solo (letter E), gorgeously played by concertmaster Nicholas Wright. I also very much like the conductor’s pacing in the Un poco Allegretto a grazioso movement, as well as the transition into the B Major section at letter D. Throughout the movement, there were some impeccably beautiful playing by and interplay between the woodwinds. 

 

The beginning of the final movement began with a real sense of a tension-filled quietness, especially in the lower strings at the outset as well as in the pizzicato passage at m. 16. The pacing was so impeccable that the entry of the French horn solo at letter B really had a sense of occasion and, to me, a palpable sense of the sun breaking through the dark clouds. The build-up of tension was such that the entry of the famous theme (Allegro non troppo, ma con brio) at m. 61 almost came as a relief. Kudos to the orchestra for its wonderful and exciting playing throughout, but especially in the exciting final pages of the movement. 

 

This was a truly memorable performance of this very familiar work. Throughout the beautiful performance, Märkl seemed to be reminding us that even though the music was steeped in 19^th century romanticism, the roots of this score remains firmly in the 18^th. 

 

I was very happy to read that Maestro Märkl will be returning in the coming season, this time to conduct Stravinsky’s Petrushka. No doubt he will again bring many new insights and reveal to us the colours and tragic of this great score.

 

Welcome back to Vancouver, Jun Märkl!