Francesco Piemontesi at Herbst Theatre, May 21, 2019

San Francisco Performances presents Francesco Piemontesi
Herbst Theatre
Veterans' Building, San Francisco War Memorial Performing Arts Center, 401 Van Ness Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94102-4522 USA
7:30 PM, Tuesday, May 21, 2019

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2019 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2019 event list! ☸ On to the next event!

[7:35 PM lights down, announcements, introduction from Melanie Smith, Francesco Piemontesi out]

All compositions this set by Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750); all pieces strung together with only a very brief pause between works.

1. [7:37 PM] Prelude in E-flat Major, BWV 552 (1739), arr. 1898, BV B 22:1
2. [7:46 PM] Nun komm der Heiden Heiland, BWV 659 (ca. 1748) (Busoni transcription of a choral prelude, 1898, BV B 27/3)
3. [7:51 PM] Wachet auf, ruft uns die Stimme, Mvt 4 from Cantata No. 140, “Sleepers Wake”, BWV 140 (1731)
   [segment ends 7:55 PM]

Italian Concerto, BWV 971 (1735)

1. [7:55 PM] (without tempo, usually performed Allegro)
2. [7:59 PM] Andante
3. [8:04 PM] Presto
   [segment ends 8:08 PM]

1. [8:08 PM] Siciliano, Mvt 2 from the Flute Sonata in E-flat Major, BWV 1031 (arr. Wilhelm Kempff (1895–1991))
2. [8:11 PM] Fugue in E-flat Major, BWV 552 (1739) (arr. Busoni, 1898, BV B 22:2)
   [set ends 8:18 PM]

[8:40 PM lights down]

Achille-Claude Debussy (1862–1918): Images, Book 2, L.111 (1907)

1. [8:41 PM] Cloches à travers les feuilles (Bells Heard through Leaves)
2. [8:45 PM] Et la lune descend sur le temple qui fut (And the Moon Descends on a Ruined Temple)
3. [8:49 PM] Poissons d’or (Goldfish)
   [segment ends 8:53 PM; applause; Francesco Piemontesi leaves briefly; back onstage less than a minute later]

Sergei Rachmaninoff (1873–1943): Piano Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, Op.36 (1913 version)

1. [8:54 PM] Allegro agitato »
2. [9:03 PM] Non allegro » Lento »
3. [9:09 PM] L'istesso tempo » Allegro molto
   [segment ends 9:15 PM]

1. [9:16 PM] George Frideric Handel (1685–1759): Minuet in G minor, HWV 434/4 (1717)
   [show ends 9:18 PM; another round of applause and curtain call, then lights up!]

• Francesco Piemontesi: piano.

Except for my usual complaint about performers who zoom through a program without pausing to demarcate the breaks between works and portions thereof, tonight was a fine recital.

I don't recall that Francesco Piemontesi said anything to us, but really, except for announcements about deviations from the printed program (none tonight!), I don't expect much banter or explanation. If a performer wishes to make that connection, so be it, but to refrain is no black mark.

In the first set, it was interesting to try and ascertain the differences between the raw Bach of the middle and the (re-)arranged Bach at the start and close. I suppose the superficial observation to share would be that the arrangements were much more pianistic. That is, they seemed to rely on the contrast of dramatic turns and techniques that would have been impossible to achieve on a harpsichord or proto-piano available to Bach. Nonetheless, it was interesting to hear these reinterpretations of Bach, and overall, the set was quite enjoyable!

Contrast also seemed to be a notion embodied by the second set, with the spare, languous trio of Debussy's Images thrown up against the demanding virtuosity required for the busy and tumultuous Rachmaninoff. Piemontesi seemed to run through the latter work effortlessly – he may have been concentrating hard, but I didn't hear any congested timing or clammy runs. Good show!

As the encore went unannounced, I guessed incorrectly that it was more Bach, but SFPerfs added a postscript to the official event page identifying it as a piece by Handel instead. All right then. In any event, it was a nice palate-cleanser after the Rachmaninoff, and a good choice for wrapping things up tonight.

Program Notes or program notes

Ken Iisaka posted a glowingreview with SFCV.

Back to the previous event! ☸ Up to the 2019 yearbox! ☸ Up to the 2019 event list! ☸ On to the next event!