Classical Concert Reviews Cinci

chambermuscincy closed out 2023 with a return appearance by pianist Michelle Cann (@michelleacann) for a program built around an overarching theme of storytelling In music, highlighting in particular the works of composers such as Joel Thompson and William Grant Still (his 1933 suite A Deserted Plantation).
Opening with a winsome, rewarding performance of Chopin’s Third Ballade, Ms. Cann provided a musical response to current events with excerpts from Thompson’s piano suite My Dungeons Shook, inspired by the killings of George Floyd and Ahmaud Arbery in 2020. Represented musically by spellings of, respectively, Floyd’s initials and Arbery’s first name, Cann’s performance was at once thought-provoking, mournful and meditative.
Alberto Ginastera’s piano music may be among the most misunderstood works in today’s repertoire, but his First Pisano Sonata was given a shining light in tonight’s concert, full of the rhythms and music of his native Argentina while also exploring polytonality and 12-tone techniques. Cann’s reading of this masterpiece possessed fiery intensity and wistful stillness, especially in the third movement evocation of the strumming of guitars,
Michelle Cann returned to contemporary storytelling with a new ballade written for her by Nathan Gulla. Equally known for his video-game music, Gulla’s piano writing was reminiscent of music for games like the Legend of Zelda or the films of Hayao Miyazaki, possessing pastoral serenity and a pervading sense of happiness.
Franz Liszt’s Mephisto Waltz No. 1 ended Michelle Cann’s recital at @memorialhallotr in a blaze of dazzling pianistic fireworks. Based on an episode from Goethe’s Faust and among the most demanding of Liszt’s pieces to maintain a foothold in the concert repertoire, Cann demonstrated astounding technical facility and a cheeky sense of humor, especially in Liszt’s depictions of the devil laughing interspersed throughout the score. The captivated audience at Memorial Hall was rewarded with an encore performance of a jazz arrangement by Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2. Looking forward to more from this remarkable musician.