Marc-Andrè Hamelin brings fire and finesse to Chiasso recital
By Giorgio Koukl
This past Thursday at Centro Culturale Chiasso, the world-famous pianist Marc-Andrè Hamelin gave a recital with some well-known pieces and some of his “pet project” composers like Medtner. We could listen to a classical opening, in the form of Rondò in A minor K.511 from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. A Sonata no. 3 in C major op. 2 no. 3, an early sonata of Beethoven. After a short break, some Nicolai Medtner was played. From Three Morceaux, op. 31, no. 1: “Improvisation. Andantino, gracile,” and from Forgotten Melodies, op. 38, no. 3: “A Festive Dance.” The concert finished with real fireworks by Sergei Rachmaninoff: Etude-Tableau op. 39 no. 5 and the ponderous Sonata no. 2 in B♭ minor, op. 36 (1931).