The Classics: 30 November

Ravel: Piano Concerto in G Major, etc. Yuja Wang (piano), Tonhalle-Orchester Zurich. Deutsche Grammophon CD

In addition to the G major, Maurice Ravel's dark and highly virtuosic Concerto for the Left Hand in D major and Gabriel Faure's piano solo Ballade in F sharp major are featured by the young and internationally famous pianist.

She revels in the two jazz-influenced concertos that are full of exciting colour and warmth from her lightning fingers.

The Swiss orchestra, conducted by Lionel Bringuier, provides an excellent partnership.

The pianist shows her uninhibited virtuosity again in the Faure solo's six brief sections.

As the New York Times observed, ''She seems to have everything: speed, flexibility, pianistic thunder and interpretive nuance''.

I needed to increase volume levels on my amplifier to hear best detail.

Verdict: Haunting beauty with jazzy sounds.

 

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Southern Invention. Ben Hoadley (bassoon), Dean Sky-Lucas (Piano). Atoll CD 

This disc subtitled ''Music for bassoon and piano from Australia and New Zealand'' has two Australian musicians performing well.

It opens with 4 Stucke by Danish composer Soren Nils Eichberg, written offshore for Hoadley to perform in Australia in 2014 and later in New Zealand. The other seven composers have all lived in one of the two countries.

Our John Rimmer composed title piece Southern Invention, and Ross Harris In Memory - G. B.

Gao Ping, the Chinese composer previously at the University of Canterbury wrote Legend.

Australia is represented by Matthew Hindson, Gordon Kerry, Elena Kats-Chernin and Larry Sitsky.

Hoadley must be congratulated on championing the bassoon, certainly not the buffoon of wind instruments, in diverse styles of eight duets.

Verdict: Versatility of bassoon shown stylishly.

 

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