An evening with classical piano giants, performed by the legendary Garrick Ohlsson
Presented by: Musica Viva Australia
Reviewed: 8 June, 2023
This June internationally celebrated classical pianist Garrick Ohlsson is touring across Australia. Ohlsson began studying at the Juilliard School in America at just thirteen years old. His career spans decades and includes numerous awards and accolades. His renditions of Chopin and Debussy (among others) are legendary, and luckily feature prominently in his Adelaide performance.
Claude Debussy’s Suite Bergamasque offers an exquisite start to the evening. While the first two movements are delightful, bold and playful in turn, it is the third movement for which the audience holds their collective breath. Clair de Lune is one of the most beloved piano pieces in history, with its iconic alluring and ethereal harmonies. Ohlsson discretely puts aside his sheet music, it is not required as his fingers expertly caress the keys.
Before interval we are also treated to Samuel Barber’s 1949 work Piano Sonata in E-flat Minor. This modern offering from Barber is complex and lyrical. The fourth movement has a pleasant energetic fervour.
After the interval is Convocations by Australian composer Thomas Misson, commissioned in anticipation of Ohlsson’s tour by Musica Viva Australia. Ohlsson is no stranger to having pieces commissioned for him, yet he sounds humble as he introduces Misson’s work. He notes the “wide range… it goes from intimate and slow to an overwhelming climax, going there organically.” In this brave and passionate new work, Misson combines his love of Liszt and the “Romantic piano giants” with his own modern style.
To end the performance, Ohlssen hand picks a collection of works by Chopin. He plays with elegant and lilting melodies in Variations Brillantes and pays homage to a rarely performed gem from Chopin’s student years with Piano Sonata No. 1 in C Minor. He says farewell with the well-loved Scherzo No. 2 in B-Flat Minor, a beautiful and dramatic piece.
Thanks to the acoustics of the venue, even those in the cheap seats hear Ohlsson’s performance with intimate clarity. His calm yet unmistakable talent revives centuries old compositions. Suddenly, as music fills the Adelaide Town Hall, its old world grandeur from velvet seats to gilded columns no longer seem out of place. We are indulging in the musical delights of a bygone era. Ohlsson’s performance is a treat for music lovers, best enjoyed and shared with friends.
Reviewed by Nicola Woolford
Photo credit: Lyndon Mechielsen
Venue: Adelaide Town Hall
Season: Ended
Duration: 2 hours
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