<p>An Tianxu<br />Tchaikovsky’s Dumka was effortlessly executed at appropriate tempos and with tasteful musicality.  Dynamics were rather underplayed.  There was a need for much more intensity, energy and physical excitement in the approach.  Today the opening section did not communicate a sense of real involvement. As phrases unfolded there was an insufficient sense of tension and release as they opened up and then relaxed.   There is so much more that can be added in terms of voicing and colour.  The fast section showed extremely impressive articulation-most impressively accurate in the semiquaver runs, but again there was a lack of real hierarchy and momentum in the phrasing.  Climaxes came and went with insufficient projection of the musical direction and under-projection of the shape.  Unfortunately this made the performance rather dull overall.</p><p>First movement of Haydn’s sonata was played neatly and with elegance.    Proficient and accurate playing that underplayed the dynamics.  But this is an extraordinary, revolutionary and agitated movement, with ‘storm and stress’ aplenty.  Sadly this performance missed out on the drama, energy and vital, requisite sense of agitation, fear and uncertainty. Much more imagination and exploration of the left hand would have helped things enormously.  Overall the tempo was rather on the slow side for my own particular taste, but even at this tempo it would have been possible to communicate much more of the music’s innate melancholy, energetic abandon and iconoclastic innovation than was the case here.</p><p>Liszt’s ‘Gnomenreigen’ was by far the most impressive performance in this ‘mini recital’.  Tremendous facility and excellent speed.  Most impressive of all was the articulation- wonderful clarity and control with exquisite delicacy and sparkle. A triumphant conclusion to an impressive recital.</p>