MIYUKI WASHIMIYA Piano Recital
Alm Records 9235 / TT: 51’20”
Japanese pianist Miyuki Washimiya has become a familiar name in Singapore concert circles with her regular solo and chamber music recitals presented by the Kris Foundation. Her latest CD, a live recording from Inagi Municipal iPlaza Hall during the height of the pandemic in May 2021, is a pleasant and eclectic mix of mostly popular Romantic repertoire.
She opens with a selection of four Mendelssohn Songs Without Words, including the familiar Spring Song (Op.62 No.6) and a Venetian Gondolier’s Song (Op.19 No.6), displaying lovely cantabile singing lines. This group is completed by the “hunting song” (Op.19 No.3), a lively galloping romp. Washimiya has a strong feeling for Chopin, his Nocturne in B flat minor (Op.9 No.1) crafted with svelte smoothness and rubato that is not overdone. Raising the roof on the early Romantic segment is Valse (Op.64 No.1) of “Minute Waltz” infamy, brilliantly (and logically) completed by the Fantaisie-Impromptu (Op.66), both being in the same key of D flat major.
Also very satisfying is the Latino segment heralded by Alberto Ginastera’s Three Argentinian Dances. Separating the coruscating and rambunctious outer movements is the yearning Danza de la moza donosa (Dance of the Young Maiden), with Washimiya being every bit the equal of Argerich. Ernesto Lecuona’s Mazurka Glissando is exactly as its title describes, a charming diversion that does not take itself too seriously, as is Isaac Albeniz’s unpretentious Pavana-Capricho (Op.12). The famous Tango (Op.165 No.2) in its original form is simply underrated, as Washimiya amply illustrates without Godowskian tamperings. In the spectacular category is Manuel de Falla’s Ritual Fire Dance from El Amor Brujo and Brazilian jazz legend Cesar Camargo Mariano’s Cristal, a flashy encore in moto perpetuo.
Closing this interestingly varied recital is Kazaburo Hirai’s Fantasy on Sakura-Sakura, a short set of variations on Japan’s most ubiquitous folksong, and Nino Rota’s very pleasant Plein Soleil as arranged by Washimiya herself. Applause after groups of works has been included, but the audience is otherwise very quiet and unobstrusive. A short but very enjoyable disc.
This CD may be purchased here:
Washimiya Miyuki - Piano Recital - Japan CD - CDs Vinyl Japan Store
No comments:
Post a Comment