Madeleine Dring: Prelude; Kenneth V Jones: Piano Sonata; Chopin: Piano Sonata no.3 in B minor
Madeleine Dring and Kenneth V Jones were both mid 20th century figures, the latter a film composer, a professor of composition at the RCM and, as it happens the pianist’s (herself a student at the RCM) great uncle. I liked the Dring piece, with subtle shifting harmonies and melancholy tone – not unlike Satie with a bit of Rachmaninov thrown in. The Jones piece was spikier – Prokofiev might be a possible analogy – but with, as the pianist said, a mesmerising and memorable slow movement. These two pieces were the highlight for me – I continue to have problems with Chopin, and the torrents of notes for the most part in the 3rd piano sonata did nothing for me. I did find the slow movement quite haunting, though. I found the pianist very proficient, even in the Chopin, which is clearly a difficult piece to play
John's musical journey 