<p>Gu Xinhao<br />The Andante of the Mendelssohn had an excellent sense of shape and direction, though the forward drive meant that the character emerged with insufficient tenderness and expression.  Left hand triads at the opening could have been more controlled.  In the Rondo was played effortlessly and with energetic bravura.  The left hand did not quite match the right in terms of legggiero and magical delicacy, but overall the performance sounded stylistic and exciting, if a little lacking in terms of variety of colour.  Some small technical flaws.  With more focus and imagination in terms of input from the left hand, the performance will grow even further in stature.</p><p>Liszt ‘Waldesrauschen’ immediately showed a lovely sense of shape.  Natural phrasing and subtle rubato was very impressive.  It could have been even more exquisite and enticing if the dynamic level had been quieter throughout.  A beautifully relaxed and natural technique.  Very convincing and exciting playing.  Again at the climax, as in the Mendelssohn, some small technical blips in the left hand slightly upset the otherwise immaculate technical impression.</p><p>The first movement of Haydn’s final, E flat sonata showed a magisterial, regal approach with lots of tonal variety and imagination.   For my taste the second subject group was not set apart and contrasted sufficiently with the rest of the movement, and in the development the sequences were executed rather dutifully.  The ‘wrong key’ entry in E major needed to project more extraordinary disbelief!  But this was impressive Haydn by any standard: Lovely leggiero and variety in the right hand, but as in the rest of the programme, the left hand was not quite on the same level, tending to be too heavy in the louder dynamic range, and needing more care and imaginative input throughout.</p>