Grice piano recital

Press, 10 August 1985, Page 8

Grice piano recital

Solo piano recital by Jeffrey Grice in the Great Hall, Arts Centre, on Friday, 1.15 p.m. Reviewed by Allan Francis.

Today, Jeffrey Grice moved into the twentieth century — not to a fanfare of drums and trumpet, but discreetly, poetically to the sounds of Ravel, Faure and Alban Berg, and these translated for solo piano only. In contrast to last evening’s performance of nineteenth century romanticism, today’s recital explored the impressionism and percussive sounds that mark this era’s musical voice. Not that the romantic elements were completely overlooked either, for it would have been a physical impossibility to discard a style that was so obviously deep-seated in Chopin and Schumann as to be of no use in the mannered pieces of Faure or in the “Ondine” of “Gaspard de la nuit.” It may have been a giant step from the extrovert

Liszt to Alban Berg, but some of that gap was ironed out by the soloist’s approach. The ebb and flow of Berg’s Sonata Opus 1 was splendidly gathered up by Grice, displaying sensitivity and much virtuoso playing. Obviously a pianist of extraordinary ability, Jeffrey Grice possesses a technique that is as dazzling as it is charming; few local pianists would attract capacity audiences within 24 hours to programmes designed to afford the widest possible scope. Yet, here is one who gives his audience no anxious moments, no doubts as to his remarkable flair.

The Berg is far from being a popular work, although under the circumstances experienced here, it is hard to understand why. The Faure, Three Nocturnes — Nos. 2,4, and 7, favoured some “prettiness” and less venturesome, were still highly listenable and characteristically French, with snatches of polite

humour and undertones of Left-Bank gaiety. Here, one was aware of the liquid phrasing that was to become increasingly evident in the Ravel masterpiece, “Gaspard de la nuit.” The opening movement, “Ondine,” literally played into the soloist’s hands, for here he could give free rein to all the warmth that was contained in the piece and infuse all the poetic wizardry that is obviously his forte.

His view of the haunting “Le Gibet” may not have started out as fearful as it might, but it built steadily into a picture of disquieting atmosphere and in the very slow passages became a chilling journey. “Scarbo” returned to a mood of extrovert good humour, a happy tumult of sounds that nevertheless had moments of acid wit woven in its fabric.

It was an ideal place to end any recital, the soloist’s efforts being matched by audience appreciation.