Dazzling Daudet - <i>Review</i>
Célimène Daudet, Manoel Theatre
French pianist Célimène Daudet had a formidable task to carry out in her recital last Friday, when she chose to perform excerpts from the Russian repertoire, all of which made hefty demands on the performer, which were met with confidence by Ms Daudet, whose innate bravura and consummate musicianship were much in evidence throughout the recital which was presented by the Embassy of the Republic of France and that of the Russian Federation.
Ms Daudet admirably sailed through her performance of a selection of some of the most taxing pieces of 20th century Russian piano literature composed by Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Prokofiev. She succeeded in retaining their markedly individual styles while simultaneously pronouncing her own.
Rachmaninov was one of the most formidable pianists of the 20th century. He was the least figure of the conservative group of Russian composers, carrying on where Tchaikovsky had left off. It was as if the modernism and mysticism of which we were to get a glimpse in Ms Daudet's performance of Prokofiev's Sonata No.6 Opus 82 and Scriabin's Sonata No.9 Opus 68 Black Mass respectively had passed Rachmaninov by.
Rachmaninov was not concerned with new paths - the old ones brought him where he wanted to go. He believed in the importance of a supreme melody, intending to "sing" it on the piano as singers do, conveying beauty and sentiment with sincerity and overpowering effect.
The pianist did just that. Her performance of the Etudes-Tableaux Opus 33 Nos. 1, 2 and 3; Opus 39 No.5, and Opus 33 Nos. 6, 7 and 8 showed a consummate command of the resources of the piano. Ms Daudet went through a gamut of effects which ranged from the deeply sonorous and the persistently ostinato to the sensitively docile and the brilliantly dazzling. All was done with great virtuosity which was always achieved but never at the expense of an all pervasive harmony.
Together with Rachmaninov, Scriabin filled a gap in the catalogue of Russian music, adding to the comparatively few compositions for piano with his numerous preludes, études and sonatas. Ms Daudet performed his Sonata No. 9, composed in one movement and characterised by an opening mysterious atmosphere which returns to end it after the rapid exposition of four successive ideas. Here again the pianist showed her mastery of the instrument in her capability of juxtaposing the most delicate of sounds with those of intense turbulence with the utmost elegance.
Prokofiev's most ambitious works for piano solo are his nine sonatas. Ms Daudet performed the sixth of these with her characteristic verve and ubiquitous clarity - a new dimension to her prowess, that of expressing a jocularity reminiscent of Shostakovich, in particular when the Allegretto, came to the fore as required in the score.
Her much appreciated encore by Debussy put a French full stop to a fine programme.
Ms Daudet admirably sailed through her performance of a selection of some of the most taxing pieces of 20th century Russian piano literature composed by Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Prokofiev. She succeeded in retaining their markedly individual styles while simultaneously pronouncing her own.
Rachmaninov was one of the most formidable pianists of the 20th century. He was the least figure of the conservative group of Russian composers, carrying on where Tchaikovsky had left off. It was as if the modernism and mysticism of which we were to get a glimpse in Ms Daudet's performance of Prokofiev's Sonata No.6 Opus 82 and Scriabin's Sonata No.9 Opus 68 Black Mass respectively had passed Rachmaninov by.
Rachmaninov was not concerned with new paths - the old ones brought him where he wanted to go. He believed in the importance of a supreme melody, intending to "sing" it on the piano as singers do, conveying beauty and sentiment with sincerity and overpowering effect.
The pianist did just that. Her performance of the Etudes-Tableaux Opus 33 Nos. 1, 2 and 3; Opus 39 No.5, and Opus 33 Nos. 6, 7 and 8 showed a consummate command of the resources of the piano. Ms Daudet went through a gamut of effects which ranged from the deeply sonorous and the persistently ostinato to the sensitively docile and the brilliantly dazzling. All was done with great virtuosity which was always achieved but never at the expense of an all pervasive harmony.
Together with Rachmaninov, Scriabin filled a gap in the catalogue of Russian music, adding to the comparatively few compositions for piano with his numerous preludes, études and sonatas. Ms Daudet performed his Sonata No. 9, composed in one movement and characterised by an opening mysterious atmosphere which returns to end it after the rapid exposition of four successive ideas. Here again the pianist showed her mastery of the instrument in her capability of juxtaposing the most delicate of sounds with those of intense turbulence with the utmost elegance.
Prokofiev's most ambitious works for piano solo are his nine sonatas. Ms Daudet performed the sixth of these with her characteristic verve and ubiquitous clarity - a new dimension to her prowess, that of expressing a jocularity reminiscent of Shostakovich, in particular when the Allegretto, came to the fore as required in the score.
Her much appreciated encore by Debussy put a French full stop to a fine programme.