PIANO RECITAL

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23769, 24 September 1940, Page 10

PIANO RECITAL

EXAMINER FROM LONDON Pianoforte playing that was wholly satisfying, combining rare artistic insight with complete technical mastery, was heard in the Lewis Eadv Hall last night, when a recital was given by Max Pirani, visiting examiner for the Royal Schools of Music. In a most happily chosen programme, which contained several rarely heard works, Mr. Pirani showed himself .as an ideal exponent of many schools of pianoforte composition, and his playing was most enthusiastically received by tho very large audience. The opening number was an arrangement by Mr. Pirani of the slow movement from Bach's "Oboe Concerto," the beautiful cnntabile melody of which was well suited to pianoforte transcription. This was followed bv Bach's " Italian " Concerto, delightfully played, as was also the massive "Prelude. Chorale and Fugue" of Cesar Franck. Chopin was represented by the ".Impromptu in F sharp" and the "Barcarolle," Liszt by "Waldesrauschen" and Rachmaninoff by three Preludes. Most interesting were three "Fairy Tales" of charming originality by Mcdtner. Debussy's "Pellets dans l'Eau" and "Prelude" in A minor and a "Caprice" by Linko completed excellent programme. In response to encores Mr. Pirani added a "Gavotte and Musette" by D'Albert and "The Cuckoo" by Daquin.