1-Concert Etudes Op. 40 No. 1 Prelude by Nikolai Kapustin,
2- The days of Wine and Roses by Henry Mancini,
3-Triste by Antonio Carlos Jobim,
4-Misty by Erroll Garner,
9 Solace: A Mexican Serenade by Scott Joplin
10 Chopin: Etudes Op. 10 No. 3 in E major and No. 4 in C minor.
The Tulsa Performing Arts Center was quite larger from what I had expected it to be, there were about 70 people for the dimension of the chamber. I was seated on the last row halfway back in the hall. I arrived fifteen minutes before time and I was able to read the program and follow the techniques of the concert without much trouble.
Yes I was ready to witness the first piano concert ever of my life. I wasn’t aware of what to expect, my emotions were high, as the moderator approached the auditorium to help us understand about the program, after that he introduced Barron Ryan, telling the audience a little about his work and provenance.
Next, Barron entered the chamber quickly want to play his first work Concert Etudes Op. 40 No. 1`Prelude` by Nikolai Kapustin The notes on my program explained that this was a programmatic work based on the Shakespeare play which I had read later after the concert. It was easy to follow the melodies for the different characters. The first theme was played by the strings in a high range, very lightly. What I liked about this theme is that you can hear both the right and left hand in perfect harmony.
Henry Mancini’s work is slightly more effusive and Barron played the opening chords quite brilliantly in this respect. I almost felt the music pervading through me, especially in the closing part of the work which was very beautiful and very direct.
I have to confess that I was totally unaware of Antonio Carlos Jobim and his work Triste. However I was indeed pleasantly surprised by the proceedings of the work which is in triple time and which demonstrates that everything moves ahead irrespective of obstacles. The mournful and rather melancholy nature of the work was quite well captured by Bonell.
Erroll Garner’s ‘Misty’ was also quite well played and the chords fairly leapt out of the pages with Bonnell providing very effective mannerisms and fine character to this perhaps over exposed work.
Scott Joplin’s Mexican serenade also came across as quite ravishing and intrinsically beautiful although Bonnell did appear to be rather hasty in parts. I enjoyed Joplin’s music as he brings the harsh sentimentality of rock and mixes it with the virility of the classical genre quite well.
The Etudes by Chopin could be said to have been the highlight of the concert with their high points and intense virtuosity. One could almost compare the pianist with the composer in some stages especially in the 4th Etude with its defiant chords and the harmoniously concordant arpeggios which are truly a joy to listen to. The whole sense of élan for the occasion was rather palpable and one has to say that everything came together with intense brilliance. Barron Ryan is a pianist who has huge promise and will definitely make the grade and this concert in Tulsa is surely a testament to his rude strength and character as a concert pianist.
