Performance: Purely Piano

Concert Chamber

Review: Tara Werner


Judging from this Purely Piano recital, Chenyin Li is a very talented young pianist, but one with a single-minded view to performance.

While her technique is magnificent, she has a predilection to tackle every work with a no-holds-barred approach.

This leaning towards heavy-handedness was apparent throughout in her demanding programme in the Concert Chamber last Thursday night - a programme that may well have made less confident musicians blanche.

Works by Beethoven, Chopin, Barber and Liszt were all interpreted with maximum force, which did not allow much room for subtlety.

Nor did she give much evidence of that important intangible quality called "soul."

This was a technically brilliant performance, but it was nonetheless cool, distant and somewhat detached.

Of the four works it was Barber's Piano Sonata Op 26 that best suited Chenyin Li's extrovert manner.

This exacting work is masterfully constructed, demanding an almost bombastic approach to its four contrasting movements.

The pounding allegro energico and mercurial scherzo gave her few problems, and the final allegro had its fugue strongly articulated. Less convincing was the adagio mesto, which sounded quite disengaged.

She was also in her element in Liszt's Rhapsodie Espagnole with its dazzling pyrotechnics, playing it to maximum effect.

The composer's elaborate variations on the sarabande La Folia provided an interesting diversion and comparison with Corelli's famous version.

Less successful was her interpretation of Beethoven's Piano Sonata in E minor Op 90, and Chopin's Piano Sonata No 3, Op 58.

Both required light and shade, and the pianist found it difficult to achieve these contrasts.

The opening allegro of the Beethoven contained overly loud dynamics which were maintained through the entire movement.

Luckily the rondo had some clear and flowing phrasing.

And while the Chopin may have been glittering throughout, at times it was quite wooden, especially the largo.

In sum, Chenyin Li has all the technical attributes to become a very capable concert pianist, but she needs to work on balancing her head with more heart in her playing.