Cziffra duo
Hanover Hall
Sunday 20 November
Commentary by Elizabeth Bowman
Two international French pianists, Duo Cziffra (Ludmilla Guilmaul and Jean-Noël Dubois), performed an excellent early evening concert at Hanover Hall on Sunday, after a successful afternoon lesson for local teenage pianists.
The event was organized by Alliance Française Dunedin and the amazing display of talented pianist was well supported, my only complaint is that the French schoolgirl wasn’t enough, and with others in the audience I felt let down by the lack of patter and humor evident in the commentary and introduction to each item provided by Dubois.
Known for performing Chopin’s repertoire, as well as teaching and training young pianists to become future professionals, Dubois is also passionate about instrument making.
Guilmaul has given more than 2,000 concerts and also devotes time to educating and inspiring young pianists. She has a particular affinity for Liszt’s piano works and an extensive repertoire of romantic and contemporary masterpieces.
Their program included a repertoire of the Romantic era and many works by the French Impressionists Ravel, Debussy and Satie.
The individual solo pieces immediately demonstrated the extraordinary strength and power of these pianists, but also a quiet and intimate sensitivity to interpretation.
The dominant element was the joy and “fun with music” that colored every aspect of their playing as they made quartet arrangements of well-known music.
An incredible speed at times, as if ahead of their partner, contrasts with the “music composition themes” which are rendered with tenderness and attachment to the original composers, though they take subtle liberties.
French composer Satie was known for his eccentricities, often adding extensive commentary to his pieces, and Guimol recited her lucid instructions in French straight from the page while she played in an orchestra. cognitive. for him Gymnopoddie No. 1A very familiar work, presented as a duet with sentimental themes straight from their French heart. Hungarian dancesand the breaksand the Walsis And most of all it was sexy, furiously fast-paced, extravagant and stunning.
