Intellectual pianist

Press, 14 July 1982, Page 6

Intellectual pianist

Recital by Mike Nock in the Great Hall of the Arts Centre, July 13. Reviewed byAllan Francis. I find Mike Nock's musical impact sometimes an elusive quantity. There is no doubting the greatness of his talent for contemporary composition. nor his superb keyboard technique: it is more a question of direction and there are moments when I am not quite sure where he is taking me. Last evening proved no exception. From the stratospheric levels of Keith Jarrett and Miles Anderson there were times when the listener was brutally dumped into an abyss of artificiality. I suspect that it has something to do with synthesized thinking. After all. Mike Nock is an intellectural mu-

sician, but a synthesizer is a medium of effect rather than artistry: it has neither the character of an organ nor the expression of a piano, but it is still the device of the modern musician. A musician who “embraces many fields” is often suspect but this was dispelled with Mike Nock’s opening piece; "Sunrise." a wistful little number which battled gamely against the hardtoned piano. The third number was marginally suspect, or at least it started that way. with some facile phrases and little apparent substance. It eventually turned out to be “Black is the Colour of my True Love’s Hair." “The Dream" was most un-reve like in conception, rather a series of multicoloured visions, with added

lustre from plucked piano strings. But an oldie. “Love Waltz," bore similar sentiments to Ravel’s “La Valse" with its heartless overtones. It was a curious mixture of classical and jazz chords, almost blending to form a statement of near cynicism. The requested “Leader" was simply a Latinesque dialogue between the left and right hands, building up to steady climax of moderate excitement. Here again, the pianist used his leg to beat time, a device that was effective once the listener realised that it was not someone falling over a chair. The pattern of the programme, which obviously entranced a capacity audience, was clearly aimed at the head and not the heart. In this respect, it succeeded magnificently.