HENRY WONG DOE Piano Recital / Review

HENRY WONG DOE Piano Recital

Esplanade Recital Studio

Tuesday (4 August 2015)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 5 August 2015 with the title "Piano notes that sound like tinkling bells".

There are many fine pianists giving concerts out there who are not household names just because they are not named Lang Lang. New Zealander Henry Wong Doe, Juilliard graduate and prizewinner in the Arthur Rubinstein, Busoni and Sydney International Piano Competitions, is one of these. His debut recital in Singapore, which was not widely publicised, should have garnered a bigger audience.

He has an iron-clad technique that easily surmounted the most technically daunting of pieces, and capable of bringing out myriad shades of the piano. Beginning with Beethoven's brief Sonata in F major (Op.54) in two movements, he highlighted its stark contrasts with much purpose and care. The genteel minuet-like opening was upstaged by a procession of marching octaves, and a breathless perpetual motion blazed the way of its second movement without missing a step.

As if to change tact, his breezy account of Liszt's long-breathed Ricordanza (the ninth of 12 Transcendental Etudes) sounded almost improvised, its lyricism and singing tone enveloping the hall with a warm glow. This was the perfect salve for the coruscating energy of Argentine Alberto Ginastera's First Sonata, three of its four movements being fast and brilliant expositions.

Raw power and pummeling brute force were delivered in spades in its opening movement, while the Presto Misterioso second movement ghosted like a chilly winter wind. There was a concession for quietude in the nocturnal slow movement before the finale coasted home with a percussive Bartokian violence which brought out spontaneous applause.

Further indelible impressions were made in the second half with Eve de Castro-Robinson's this liquid drift of light from Landscape Preludes, an anthology of short pieces inspired by New-Zealand geography. Impressionistic in character, its indolent portrayal of languid lapping waters resonated in the high registers of the piano like gently tinkling bells. 

More bells came to the fore with Mussorgsky's Pictures at an Exhibition. From its imposing opening Promenade, Wong's reading stood out as a brisk and no-nonsense one which operated between fortissimo and further decibels more. One wished he could have taken more time to smell the flowers, as The Old Castle sounded unsentimental, while the playful Tuileries was tarred with the same brush as the lumbering ox-cart Bydlo, which served as an early climax of sorts.

The Ballet Of Unhatched Chicks wanted for lightness but Goldenberg & Schmuyle (Two Polish Jews) was suitably brutal in its characterisation. When it came to fast and furious, Baba Yaga's Hut swooped down menacingly but at that high speed, some wrong notes were inevitable. However all came to a heady end with the grand strides of The Great Gate of Kiev, with its deafening tintinabulation of pealing carillons.

Wong's sole encore was a balm for the ears, Gareth Farr's The Horizon from Owhiro Bay (from Landscape Preludes) with its wind-swept climes bathed in pentatonic and gamelan-like tones. It made for a colourful conclusion to a flavoursome evening of piano music.

This concert was presented by MW Events Management.

JOSEPH BANOWETZ Piano Recital / Review

JOSEPH BANOWETZ Piano Recital

Japanese Association of Singapore

Tuesday (7 August 2012)

This review was published in The Straits Times on 9 August 2012 with the title "Banowetz's lesson in musical history". 

Almost everyone knows that the thousands of piano students in Singapore can play their set pieces well and score distinctions in piano examinations, but how many are actually aware of the history behind the works and their composers? Knowing and understanding the traditions of musical composition and performance is vital in making a connection with the music and unlocking its innumerable secrets.  

One could do worse than to attend a lecture-recital by American pianist Joseph Banowetz whose musical pedigree is steeped in tradition. After all, the 76-year-old sage was a student of Carl Friedberg, who studied with Clara Schumann, and of György Sandor, Bartok’s most famous piano pupil. He spoke as much as he played, and every word and note was eagerly lapped up by all who attended.

He introduced the name of Alexander Siloti, student of Liszt and cousin of Rachmaninov, and opened with his transcription in B minor of J.S.Bach’s little harpsichord Prelude written for his son. What a gem it was, first highlighting repetitive figurations on the right hand, and then a melody magically appearing in the left hand played with the thumb. By way of contrast, huge chords, octaves and cathedral-like sonorities dominated another Bach Prelude transcription, this time in G minor and conceived for organ.  

The next two works were in C minor, first Mozart’s Fantasy K.396, completed by his pupil Maximilian Stadler, and Beethoven’s better known 32 Variations. Unlike the hurried barnstorming accounts often proffered by young virtuosos, Banowetz clothed these in an intimate sound and displaying distinct latitude in tempos. The Beethoven was stately and particularly well-shaped, with each successive variation deliciously fleshed out.  

Banowetz, ardent champion of unknown repertoire, then gave the Singapore premiere of Anton Rubinstein’s Akrostychon in A flat major (Op.114 No.2), a delightful little morsel of tenderness and a burning inner passion. 

The twin-towers of the Romantic piano tradition were not neglected. Before performing Chopin’s Funeral March (from the Second Sonata), Banowetz related the spooky story of a tuberculous Chopin who saw apparitions whenever he played this number, and when Arthur Rubinstein performed the same for his friends, one of them would mysteriously die shortly after.

The anecdotes flowed unabated and two hours passed very swiftly. There was enough time for one of Banowetz’s specialities – Franz Liszt. His Third Hungarian Rhapsody was a one-man-band display of the gypsy tradition, with the piano imitating the repetitive tremolos of the Hungarian cimbalom. Banowetz could have played all night, but the musical history lesson had to come to an end sometime. The good news is the last of the “three Bs of Liszt playing” (the others being Bolet and Brendel) will be returning next year.       

Joseph Banowetz had to sign a lot of autographs post-concert.

Joseph Banowetz with the organising committee of the 1sr Ars Nova International Piano Competition.

This concert was presented by MW Events Management, as part of the 1st Ars Nova International Piano Competition.

1ST ARS NOVA INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION 2012

1ST ARS NOVA INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION

30 July - 4 August 2012

It’s a strange fact, but Singapore has organised more Formula One Grand Prix races than international piano competitions. That sad stat is set to end with the conclusion of the 1^st Ars Nova International Piano Competition organised by MW Events Management, with an aim to bolster Singapore as a venue for the meeting of Asia’s (and hopefully the world’s) best pianistic minds. While the National Arts Council has been forever dithering on the pros and cons of organising an international competition, somebody had finally the guts and gumption to make it a reality.

To be honest, the competition was much low key in its publicity (no banners flying on street-lamps or major news in the national dailies) and the performances were held in unlikely venues like small studios in Thomson Plaza, Chinese Swimming Club and the Japanese Association, before moving to better known premises as the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts. There were five categories in Solo Piano (Junior under 9 years, Junior under 12 years, Intermediate, Senior and Open) and three in Piano Duet (Junior, Senior and Open) performances attracting 204 international competitors and a further 270 non-competitive performers. Not bad for a first-time competition.

Time only permitted me to attend the Open category Piano Solo finals held on a Saturday afternoon at NAFA, and it proved time well spent. By this stage, the eight finalists (out of 17 who participated in this category) had overcome two virtuoso etudes (Round One), mixed repertoire (Round Two), and had now one major sonata to perform. Only in a piano competition can one sit through six Beethoven sonatas played consecutively without a break. With the exception of one shambolic performance of Op.110 from a Japanese lady who had more memory lapses than Rudolf Hess, it was pretty much pianophile paradise. 

Zheng Qingshu's very competent Op.101

First up was the androgynous Zheng Qingshu (China), a lanky young lady attired like a man in blazer and long pants, who gave a solid and competent reading of Op.101. Hers was a well-chiselled, accurate account that traversed the emotional highs and spiritual depths without much fuss or apparent effort, yet for me did not seem to unlock its more elusive secrets. Where was the aching nostalgia and that friendly face of recognition when the retiring first movement theme returns in the third movement’s interlude? This is one work that will surely grow with her in due time and further study. Much promise and potential displayed, it must be said.

A more feminine performance of Beethoven, Op.109 from Cai Ying.

I preferred the playing of Cai Ying (China) in Op.109, which revealed more of the music’s lyrical beauty and mystique through the ruminative first movement and the agitated prestidigitation of the second movement. The third movement’s chorale theme was well projected, and even if some of the variations came across cut and dried, there was enough variety and colour to sustain its entire duration. This culminated in the clangour of bell sounds and trills at the close of a very satisfying outing.

Li Ti's Op.110 was by far the more successful of two readings.

The one performance of Op.110 that did not come to grief came from Li Ti (China), whose grasp of its idiom and overall conception was a very strong one. She produced a robust but very musical sound in the varied first two movements, but these were almost undone by brief lapses in the slow movement’s dirge, ironically the least technical part of the work, and its return midway through the final movement’s fugue. In the fugue and its inversion, she produced an organ-like sonority that were easily some of the best moments in the afternoon.

Beethoven's Waldstein Thai-style from Thanakarn Limtham.

There were two young men who performed Beethoven’s Middle Period sonatas. Thanakarn Limtham (Thailand) gave a solid if not too subtle account of Op.53 “Waldstein”. He had the chops, power and the passion to do the music justice, and even the slightly unkempt facial hair and funny glasses to make the outing more Beethoven-like. There were some slips here and there, and the sort of rough edges to rule out a top three finish, but enough spirit and verve to make his performance an interesting one.

Appassionata from Malaysian Tang Der Chang. 

Tang Der Chang (Malaysia) perhaps tried too hard to vary the nuances and colours for his performance of Op.57 “Appassionata”, which resulted in some parts sounding too soft and mincing, and others just too plangent for comfort. These swings between extremes, though Beethovenian in character, came close to being a caricature of “mad old Ludwig” himself. The tempestuous finale was exhausting because of an over-reliance on speed and volume. If that did not engage me more than it should, it was because the performance of one and a half dimensional.

Best in the afternoon, Wan Jing Jing's Prokofiev Seventh.

My favoured performance of the afternoon came from Wan Jing Jing (China) who gave a close to perfect performance of the Prokofiev Seventh Sonata. Hers was not a one-dimensional relentless assault on Stalingrad, but one that was well conceived and with hammer to anvil, forged to just the right degree of steeliness. She knew exactly when to pile on the dissonances, when to relax, and these combination of contrasts made the piece truly work. The mock-Romanticism of the slow movement gave way to an unbridled escalation of violence, and when the machine-gun Precipitato finale came upon us, there was simply no let up. A magnificent performance this was, one that consigns Freddy Kempf’s frantic rendition at the 2001 PianoFest firmly into the shade.

       

There was one Singaporean in the finals to make up the numbers. That he gave a patent demonstration how not to play Liszt’s Sonata in B minor (misguided, pedantic, self-indulgent, vulgar and tasteless are adjectives that come to mind) is probably worth a passing mention.

For the record, the four man international jury (comprising Joseph Banowetz, Manfred Fock, Robert Chamberlain and Francis Yang) awarded First Prize to Zheng Jingshu, Second Prize to Wan Jing Jing and Third Prize to Li Ti. It certainly does begin to look like an Olympic roll call of medallists in the solo badminton or table-tennis events. I was later told that Cai Ying had placed fourth. Four out of four (but not necessarily the same placings) was not too bad for this arm-chair judge, I guess.

Overall, this was a very encouraging attempt to bring Singapore into the world of international music competitions. The next competition has been scheduled for 2014 and might up the ante to include a concerto segment. I (and Singapore's musical community) wish it all the greatest success.

1ST ARS NOVA INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION GALA CONCERT / Photos

Everybody loves a winner, and there were winners aplenty at the 1st Ars Nova International Piano Competition. The Gala Concert and Prize-Giving ceremony was held on Saturday evening (4 August 2012) at the Lee Foundation Theatre of the Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts.

Pung Rae Yue (Singapore, Junior under 9 years, 2nd Prize) opened the Gala Concert with an elegant reading of Chopin's F minor Waltz Op.72 No.1, spiced with lots of rubato.

Alyssa Kok (Singapore, Junior under 9 years, 1st Prize) was a total natural in the finale of Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata. Hers was very polished and had lots of flair.

Huang Yu Wei (Taiwan, Junior under 12 years, 2nd Prize) made Liszt's La Leggierezza sound positively  like child's play. That's exactly what Martha Argerich did in the 1950s.

Alexander Ronoyudo (Indonesia, Junior under 12 years, 1st Prize) knows exactly the meaning of scherzando in Liszt's Gnomenreigen. One judge, a Liszt expert, gave him a full score of 100.

Yao Yi Qing (China, Intermediate, 1st Prize) was the stand-out in that category, and proved her mettle in the florid embellishments of Chopin's Rondo Op.16. 

  

Dolpiti Kongviwatanakul (Thailand, Senior, 2nd prize) gave a most probing and variegated account of the Five Bagatelles by Australian composer Carl Vine.

  

Li Churen (Singapore, Senior, 1st prize) was positively scintillating in Moszkowski's Caprice Espagnole, and she knows exactly how to go for broke with the pyrotechnics.

The duo of Napat Sermwatana and Navardvadee Suthisomboon (Thailand, Duet Senior, 2nd prize) were the only prizewinners in the duet competition. Eight out of nine prizes were a-begging. Their account of Dvorak's Slavonic Dance Op.46 No.2 was musical rather than virtuosic.

  

Li Ti (China, Open, 3rd Prize) showing fluidity and fluency in Debussy's Etude No.11.

Wan Jing Jing (China, Open, 2nd Prize) takes a bow for her spectacular account of the Precipitato movement from Prokofiev's Seventh Sonata.

Zheng Qingshu (China, Open, 1st Prize) showed why she meant business in a masculine, rock-solid and no-holds-barred performance of Liszt's Mephisto Waltz No.1.

There were more girl winners than boy winners.

Winners of the older categories.

Take a bow, concert pianists of the future!

Serene Koh (Singapore, Senior, 3rd prize) and her teacher Angelyn Aw.

Sisters on the keyboard: Wan Jing Jing, Li Ti and Serene Koh (from L).

Piano adjudicator Robert Chamberlain (Australia) is flanked by two fellow countrymen,  Jocelyn  Kwok (Junior under 9, 3rd prize) and Elijah Abraham (Junior under 12, 3rd prize). Singapore's Alyssa Kok (Junior under9, 1st prize) completes this fine assembly. 

Alexander Ronoyudo (Indonesia, Junior under 12, 1st Prize) with his mother and rather young-looking grandfather.