Concert at VCH

Just arrived home from concert at Victoria concert hall. It was a piano recital by Adam Gyorgy, a Steinway artist, and winner of the First international Chopin competition, and various other competitions as well. A Hungarian pianist, indeed, lives up to his nationality by playing so many works, transcriptions by Hungarian composer Franz Liszt.

It was a really pleasant experience, my first time experiencing a concert setting. Having played to is different from watching videos off youtube. Your hear the same thing, but hearing it live is another story. The program was really exciting. He started off playing (I think), his own improvisations on "well known melodies", which I never heard of. A pop/jazz way to begin a classical concert is surely well, intriguing. I really want to know if he played them as pure improvisation (on the spot).

The real deal kicked off with Chopin Ballade in G minor. Something which I wanted to hear very much. All the other pieces on the program are somewhat more familiar with respect to Adam Gyorgy (heard his interpretation off youtube again, many times). Never heard him play Chopin before. I don't think I am at any level to critic, but I enjoyed it tremendously. Though I still prefer Zimmerman on youtube.

Bach was next, two pieces by Bach. First was the "Jesu Son of Man Desiring" and "All sheep may graze", which I am very unfamiliar with. The program was not played in order as they were printed which I suppose were very confusing for some, especially my brothers.

Finally, after the flashy Rigoletto Paraphrase by Franz Liszt, (this piece doesn't catch ,y attention somewhat) he finally played the thing I wanted to hear the most-La Campanella. The thing I found amusing was that it sounded exactly like the same as his 2007 version on youtube at the Franz Liszt Academy. I know he used to play it faster when he was younger (2003), if I'm not wrong. I managed to get some inspiration off his interpretation, which I found very contrasting to Yundi Li's version.

I think a 7-8 minute Wedding March transcription by Mendelssohn, Liszt, Horowitz, Gyorgy (wow what a long list) followed. It was pretty flashy, virtuosic, I somewhat want it to be played during my wedding! Hah!

It finally came down to the last list off the program-Hungarian Rhapsody #2 by Franz Liszt again. Enjoyed it throughly. Though it was quite awkward when some people actually almost clapped at the half way point (when it seemed like a finish).

And then! As an encore, he played Flight of the Bumblebee!

I really enjoyed myself, though post concert I was feeling slightly overwhelmed. There was something missing! YES. I know, the whole program was filled with romantic pieces! though there were Bach, but it was negligible compared to all that virtuosic runs I've heard from Chopin to Liszt and more Liszt!