Trails of Creativity: Thomas Ang Piano Recital

TRAILS OF CREATIVITY

THOMAS ANG, PIANO

ESPLANADE RECITAL STUDIO

2 AUGUST 2014

*Portions of this review will be published in The Straits Times on 4th August 2014.

Thousands of pianists pass through the doors of conservatories around the world every year, yet only a handful will ever grace the biggest stages.

In this cut-throat business of classical music, it is imperative that musicians find a way to stand out amongst their peers. While some choose to try their luck on the competition circuit, others turn to cross-over music in a desperate pursuit of fame.

Pianists can consider themselves extremely fortunate, considering the vast amount of music written for the instrument. Despite this, only a small percentage of these works are ever performed.

Thomas Ang (pictured left) has gained a reputation as being somewhat of a maverick, daring to venture beyond the tried and tested. While his fellow colleagues are dilligently churning out Chopin and Rachmaninoff etudes, his preference is for the more off-beat repertoire.

His latest recital showed there was more to this young pianist than just his interest in obscure works. The composers Sigfrid Karg-Elert and Hans Gal may appear more often in trivia than in concerts, but Ang masterfully characterized the post-romantic nature of their works, and it was a pity that the unfamiliar programme kept audiences away.

Electing to open the evening with Brahm's Variations on a theme of Schumann Op. 9, he set the bar high for himself with a breath-takingly profound performance. It is not often that the Steinway grand in the Esplanade Recital Studio spoke the way it did, and Ang's infinite variety of touches and colour brought the work to life, perfectly evoking the extreme facets of Schumann's multiple personalities.

Even the intrusion of rumbles from the NDP preview held next door did little to faze him, as he tossed off pyrotechnics of his own in Leopold Godowsky's Pasacaglia on a theme from Schubert's Unfinished Symphony, which started with a hauntingly eerie baseline used throughout the work. The Polish composer has written some of the most deviantly treacherous works, but it proved to be a cakewalk for Ang as his transcendental techinque handled the dazzling filligree with panache and more.

While lesser pianists would have been proud to simply pound out the notes, Ang took great care to note their purpose on the score.

Hexameron Op. 97 by Karg-Elert and Hans Gal's 3 Little Pieces Op. 65 brought out the pianist's artistry and more delicate nature.

The six contrasting pieces of the impressionistic Hexameron draws inspiration from composers such as Scriabin, Alkan and Debussy. Ang showed off his full range of emotions, drawing pictures of tranquility in the Erotikon, a spirited march in Ritornell, and the temperamental Ballade. Although technically less demanding than the Godowsky Pasacaglia, it nevertheless requires a pianist of the highest artistic calibre to capture the essence of the work.

Unlike his more well-known contemporaries, Hans Gal embraced tonality and had no interest in the avant-garde and neo-classical movement that swept 20th century classical music. The angular dissonances in the Humoresque reminded one of Shostakovich and Prokofiev, and Ang was alert to this to full effect. His limitless imagination brought out some sparkling articulation in the light-hearted Scherzino, which contrasted well with the more pastoral Melody.

Showing that he is equally adept at music of all genres, he brought out the bubbly champagne in Kapustin's Andante Op. 58, and dedicated a transcription of Richard Strauss' Allerseelen to his teacher Yap Chiu Yuen. While he might not garner a rabid following that the likes of Lang Lang or Yuja Wang enjoys, he certainly makes a strong case to be named heir apparent to Marc-Andre Hamelin.

This recital was the latest in a series of recitals presented and sponsored by the Kris Foundation, whose founder Kris Tan was recently recognized with the Friend of the Arts award. More of the same please.

All photographs courtesy of the Kris Foundation.

CATCH THOMAS ANG'S 3RD RECITAL FEATURING THE MUSIC OF NIKOLAI KAPUSTIN

LIVING ROOM, THE ARTS HOUSE

30 AUGUST 2014

730PM

MORE INFORMATION HERE