Past Performances
Shunta Morimoto returned to St Alkmunds Church for a lunchtime recital on Tuesday 12th December 2023, and his return was greeted by a spell-bound audience of over 100.
Shunta began his recital with a bonus piece he had recently learnt, the profound Chopin Nocturne Op. 55, No. 2 in E flat. He then played Mozart's divine C Minor Sonata K.457, a follow-on from Mozart's C Minor Fantasia K.475 which Shunta played for us in May. Mozart only wrote two piano sonatas in the minor key. This sonata is thought to have inspired Beethoven's Pathetique Sonata in C Minor and is full of fire, passion and sombre mood. Shunta has such a deep understanding of profound music, playing such a delicate pianissimo and using the piano's full range with his astonishingly faultless technique, It is customary in live music to hear the odd mistake but Shunta doesn't seem to make them, even to experienced ears sitting in Shrewsbury audiences. Mozart wrote this sonata aged 28, having married Constanze two years earlier and already lost their first child, Raimond, at age 2 months. We may hear different interpretations of this sonata but, in my opinion, we will never hear a finer performance of this sublime work.
Kyle Hutchings played in St Alkmunds on Tuesday 14th November 2023 at lunchtime. Kyle is an interesting pianist, as he only began learning at the age of 12 after his grandmother gave him a CD of classical music. There are no musicians in his family and he taught himself the piano and then gained a scholarship to study with internationally acclaimed pianist Richard Meyrick.
Kyle is an intense pianist who specialises in the First Viennese School of Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert. His playing is thoughtful and profound, playing faithfully in the style of the era when the works were composed. Kyle began with a sublime rendition of Mozart's Sonata No. 17 in B flat Major K.570. This sonata was written when Mozart's fortunes were in decline, some 2 years before he died aged 35. It is a work full of subtle contrasts and beautiful harmonies that Kyle picked out with delicate artistry. There is no showmanship in Kyle's playing, just a deep and sensitive rendition of the radiant beauty of Mozart's genius. The Beethoven Sonata No. 30 in E Major Op.109 is also a late work, full of complex melodies characteristic of late Beethoven. The impressive aspect to Kyle's performance was the over-riding understanding and vision of these sonatas in their complex entirity. Late works often represent the pinnacle of the composer's achievements, and these two sonatas are classic examples of the visionary achievements of these two incredible classical composers. Kyle concluded his recital with an encore, Schubert's Impromptu No.2 in A Flat major D.935 Op.142, played with his typical subtle grace. Thank you, Keyboard Charitable Trust, for recommending such extraordinarily talented youngsters.
Matthew McLachlan played his first recital in Shrewsbury at St Alkmunds Church on Tuesday 17th October 2023 at 1pm as part of the International Piano series from students still in tertiary education. Matthew is a British pianist who has studied at Wells Cathedral School, Chethams School of Music and currently at the Royal College of Music in London. Matthew is a sensitive performer who gives great thought to his interpretation. He plays to honour the composer and not himself. He started with Beethoven's Sonata No.16 in G Major, Op.31 No.1 and gave an animated performance of Beethoven finding his feet in the sonata form and developing his own startling style. He followed with a magnificent performance of Chopin's Scherzo No.2 in B Flat Minor Op.31. With early nerves settled, Matthew gave a wonderful dynamic range and singing tone to the composition. Sounding full of confidence, the recital moved on to the fiendish Scriabin Sonata No.4 which Scriabin explained in a subsequent poem as "I swallow thee, Sea of light." Matthew's interpretation was certainly a sea of sound. Matthew ended playing Liszt's Vallée d’Obermann, and it was an atmospheric and technically brilliant performance full of subtlety and flambouyant colour. The 80 strong audience, with the depth of musical understanding typical of Shrewsbury audiences, showed their enthusiastic appreciation. Well done, that lad.
Dinara Klinton returned to Shrewsbury to perform in St Chads Church on Sunday 22nd October 2023.
Our local music critic, Andrew Petch takes up the story...
"Shrewsbury’s St. Chads Church was the venue for an afternoon recital by the distinguished Ukrainian pianist, Dinara Klinton. It was the second event in Shropshire Music Trust’s new season, organised with the help of Dr. Peter Barritt, who over recent years has brought some fine young pianists to discerning Shropshire audiences.
This was an elegantly planned and presented event and Dinara Klinton’s playing was a revelation. Possibly the most famous trilogy in the history of classical music, Robert and Clara Schumann and Johannes Brahms, were the featured composers. Dr. Barritt had researched the lives and work of these giants of 19th century music and gave a valuable introduction to each composition.
From the first notes, it was clear that Dinara has a natural affinity for Schumann’s music; she produces a sound of bell-like clarity which makes Robert’s music instantly recognisable. The opening Arabesque was a brilliant example of his use of contrasting moods of hope and despair, the pianist’s brilliant sound pallets and amazing dynamics brought out the contrasting emotions perfectly.
The same qualities were in evidence throughout the eight pieces of Fantasiestucke, for each of which there were excellent programme notes and the dreamy self was musically set against the desires of a man “at the height of his passions”-and the power and passion of the pianist was awe-inspiring.