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Canadian virtuoso Marc-Andre Hamelin showed Friday night at the Folly Theater what accomplished pianism can do, when accompanied by sensitivity and nuance.

Hamelin, whose extraordinary pianistic ability has led him to specialize in some of the most notoriously difficult pieces in the repertoire, has been refocusing his career on interpreting more traditional compositions in recent years. In this Harriman Jewell Series recital he displayed both sides of his impressive abilities.

Opening with Franz Joseph Haydn's Variations in F Minor, Hamelin played with clean precision, but also displayed sensitivity to the piece's shifting moods and colors. Performing rapid passages with a light touch, but applying a more robust approach to the dramatic moments of the piece, he brought out some unexpected subtleties in a composition which, to glance at the printed page, would seem to offer little by way of expressive opportunity.

His other two more traditional pieces on the recital were Mozart's Sonata in A Minor, in which Hamelin easily mastered the rapid flow of 16^th notes throughout the score but added a vigorous attack and moving drama to the piece's more emotive moments, and the Faure Nocturne No. 6, in which the pianist displayed a surprising French sensibility.

For his technically difficult pieces on the program, Hamelin selected a Franz Liszt showpiece (aren't they all?), Venezia e Napoli, and the fiendishly difficult Symphonie for Solo Piano by the elusive French composer Charles-Valentine Alkan.

Crouched over the piano, focusing with laser intensity and single-minded purpose, Hamelin almost attacked the instrument with banging, crashing bass notes, blindingly rapid  treble runs, and a stunning virtuosity throughout.  He treated the keyboard almost as a racetrack, with the hands chasing each other up and down, fingers flying in an almost constant blur.

Impressive it was, but was the virtuosity being utilized in the service of anything more?  In the case of this pianist, the answer was a resounding "yes."  At this point in his career Hamelin's technical proficiency, while never far from the surface, is taken almost for granted, while he simultaneously plumbs the emotional depths of his composers' works.  The resulting balance equates to a brilliant pianism, producing as well rounded and satisfying a performance as one could hope for.

Listening to Hamelin's technically brilliant but equally sensitive interpretations, this listener's mind kept returning to the recital by the Chinese star Lang Lang which opened the Harriman Jewell Series last fall. Lang Lang played with great vigor and abandon, displaying a technical brilliance which, while still short of the Hamelin standard, is outstanding.  In the case of Lang Lang, however, this listener felt that there was little substance behind the flash.  Impressive as was the virtuosity, there seemed little understanding of the music behind it.

Hamelin, by contrast, has grown into a pianist for whom the technique is still superb, but the musicianship behind it is equally impressive.  This makes a satisfying and rewarding experience for his audience, which responded with a warm ovation, richly deserved.

For his finale Hamelin chose one of his own compositions, a number he called Little Nocturne. Surprisingly, it was a quiet and expressive number, shimmering and slightly dissonant, requiring no great level of virtuoso skill, but played with great sensitivity and feeling.  Perhaps on his next visit the artist will treat his Kansas City fans to more of his own work, which, based upon this small preview deserve a wider hearing.

REVIEW:
Harriman Jewell Series
Marc-Andre Hamelin, pianist
Friday, February 19, 2010
Folly Theater
12^th and Central Streets, Downtown Kansas City, MO
www.kcsymphony.org

Top photo by Fran Kaufman

By Don Dagenais

City Classics Music and Dance Columnist; Classical Contributor

A lifelong classical music fan, Don Dagenais is a frequent preview speaker for the Lyric Opera of Kansas City and has taught classical music and opera courses at several Kansas City venues. He has served on the boards of directors of a number of performing arts organizations including the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, the Lyric Opera Guild, UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance, Opera Volunteers International, the Civic Opera Theater of Kansas City, Inspiration Point Fine Arts Colony, Octarium, and the Friends of the Symphony.  He has been the past president of most of these organizations and is current the president of the Friends of the Symphony. 

Dagenais co-authored a history of the Lyric Opera of Kansas City, published on the occasion of its 50th anniversary (2007) and has written books on the histories of both the Lyric Opera Guild and Opera Volunteers International, as well as an introductory book for opera novices (Your Passport to the Opera).  He has received several local and national awards for outstanding volunteer work for the arts, including a lifetime achievement award from The Coterie Theatre in 2000, the Kansas City Musical Club's annual award in 2001, a Partners in Excellence Award from Opera Volunteers International in 2002, a Bravo Award from Opera Volunteers International in 2004 and a community service award from the Daughter of the American Revolution in 2008 honoring him for his community service to the arts.

In addition to his music interests, Don is president of the board of directors for the Metropolitan Ensemble Theater and has served on the boards of The Coterie Theatre and the Heart of America Shakespeare Festival, serving as president of each organization.  He publishes newsletters for seven arts organizations.  When not involved in the performing arts, Don is a senior real estate attorney with Lathrop & Gage LLP in Kansas City, Missouri, where he has practiced law since 1976 after graduating from the Cornell Law School.