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Last Sunday evening in Petersham the weather was harsh; an icy wind blew through a bleak, frost-covered Richmond Park and the dark skies foretold the blizzard to come. However, in The Dysart Arms, the scene could not have been more different-an open fire roared, the polished tawny wood of the old Bechstein piano glowed and the recital room was bright with candles. A full house, made up largely of Mclean’s admirers and followers, but also some newcomers, sat in joyous anticipation; this was the fourth concert McLean had played at the Dysarts and tonight he returned after a long break. Here was a finely crafted programme of Romantic composers, all of whom had, in some way mutual influences .Schubert’s Four impromptus, Rachmaninov’s Two Preludes and a Fragment, Liszt’s Six Consolations followed by a Chopin selection including the Nocturne Op.Post in C sharp minor, the fantasy Impromptu and two etudes -Op.12 no 6 and No 12. There was something for everyone- popular favourites such as Chopin’s much-loved Fantasy Impromptu and the familiar harmonies of Schubert’s second impromptu and Liszt’s Third Consolation as well as some less familiar curiosities; Rachmaninov’s exquisite Fragment of 1917 and Chopin’s posthumously published Nocturne in C sharp minor. How appropriate to have Liszt, the inventor of the recital so well represented-we often only hear the second or third Consolation, here the mighty oeuvre was heard, as the composer intended, in its entirety. McLean is an extraordinary performer-both cerebral and intuitive. Although charismatic and charming, his greatest strength is his humility and reverence for the music; there is no ego to come between the performer and performance, no “showmanship”, just brilliant technique and sensitive interpretation- McLean is always true. How well this was illustrated on Sunday at The Dysart Arms! -the soaring emotion of the Schubert impromptus, the delicate beauty of the Rachmaninov Fragment which shone like a polished snowflake on a dark night and the stirring and heart-warming development in the two preludes moved us in the first half. After the interval,the elegaic, nostalgic tones of Liszt’s Six Consolations thrilled and inspired by turns. The Chopin pieces which followed delighted, building to a climax with the gloriously stirring Etude Opus 12. No.12-the “revolutionary”.We were rewarded with an encore-the haunting mazurka in F ,which epitomised the ethereal beauty of the evening. The eminent pianist and composer Stephen Hough recently reflected in a BBC interview on contrasting audience responses and their effect on the performer-the stamping, cheering and whistling reaction of some audiences ,significantly in the US and the more muted responses in the UK. He considered also the effect of attentive silence, hushed reverence and complete concentration from an audience which was also, and in his case, even more appreciated. In McLean’s concert all these elements were present; reverential silence, pure concentration and no coughing in between movements-as often heard in the large concert halls as well as cheers, stamps, bravos, whistles and bouquets at the end. A truly warming winter night! Carolina Bevilacqua.
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