Delicate touch and explosive intensity

Piano recital by Maciej Pikulski and Shani and Rika Abeygooneratne. Reviewed by Senaka Abeyratne.

When a recital in-volves more than one pianist, it is tempting to be judgmental and rank them according to some preconceived notions of style, technique, and temperament. But when it comes to romantic music there are no strict rules for judging how it should be played, because unlike classical music, it is largely a subjective affair. (In fact, many experts view romantic music, which is imbued with exaggerated feeling and emotion, as the antithesis of classical music.)

I therefore went for this recital without any preconceived notions, only mindful that Maciej is an experienced performer with an astonishing repertoire, while Shani and Rika are students. Be that as it may, I was immensely pleased with the outcome. In the absence of a grand piano, the three performers had to settle for a little baby grand, but they played so well, it did not matter.

Shani, Rika and Maciej played eleven pieces in all, including one by Mozart (Sonata No.3 in D major for four hands - Allegro molto), which was performed by the two sisters. The original programme did not include Mozart as this was meant to be an evening of romantic music. But I am glad it was inserted at the last minute as Shani and Rika obviously enjoy playing Mozart together and performed the piece with panache and a lovely feather-light touch. One has to listen to them for only a few minutes to realize they are both gifted pianists with superb technique and keen interpretive skills. But they have a long way to go to become world-class performers, which means hard work, solid training, total commitment, and fierce determination to get ahead.

When it comes to performing, stage presence is as important as technical and artistic merit. I was pleased to see that the two sisters were smart, relaxed, elegantly dressed, and self-composed.

The two solo pieces by Shani consisted of Vallee d'Obermann by Liszt (from Annees de Pelerinage - Suisse), and the enduring "Appassionata" by Beethoven. Vallee d'Obermann, is one of the most romantic pieces written by Liszt and her interpretation was sensitive and delicate, at times, almost poignant. The mood she created was so evocative that I could picture the valley with its beautiful trees and rolling hills. If I enjoyed Vallee d'Obermann, I enjoyed the "Appassionata" even more, executed as it was with compelling technique and controlled artistic and emotional expression.

Rika played two solo pieces: Sonnet de Petrarque 104 by Liszt (from Annees de Pelerinage - Italy), and Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Op. 20 by Chopin. Sonnet 104 is a reflective piece and has some beautiful runs that were neatly executed. If what Shani performed was a "soundscape", then what Rika performed was a "wordscape". She did exceptionally well, I thought, to capture its sonorous quality and poetic imagery. She showed good control and temperament when performing the Scherzo, which contains a gentle and haunting lullaby. But she still has some way to go to master the fluency and emotional complexity of Chopin. Let us not forget, she is only 19. But like her sister (who is 22), she is oozing with talent. Rika's unique gift is her rich musicality, as reflected in a sound technique and a neat and elegant style of playing. If she gains admission to the CNSM (one of the oldest and most prestigious conservatories in Europe) next year, she will get the necessary training and exposure to realize her potential.

Maciej played as many as six solo pieces. The first two - Nocturne in C minor Op. 48 No. 1 and Nocturne in D flat major Op. 27 No. 2 by Chopin - differed sharply in terms of tempo, thematic material, and emotional intensity. The moment this tall, statuesque man with a fuzzy beard, long wavy hair, and a striking pair of hands sat down to play, I found myself leaning forward in anticipation. Here is a pianist who has remarkable versatility and skill as well as the ability to hold the audience spellbound. The delicate emotional texture and chromatic ornamentation of the two Nocturnes were superbly captured.

To watch him play Chopin was a treat. After the Nocturnes came three pieces by Rachmaninov - Prelude Op. 23 No. 7 in C minor, Prelude Op. 32 No. 5 in G major, and Etude-tableaux in F sharp minor, Op. 39 No. 3. Rachmaninov's music is so powerful and melodious it demands brilliant technique and a mature and refined temperament. Maciej clearly has both and performed the above pieces with consummate ease. I particularly liked the Prelude in G major, which was sweet and melodious. Maciej's final offering was called a Transcription of Schubert's ERLKONIG, composed by Liszt. It was short, technical, and explosive, and left me breathless.

There were two lovely encores: a Mozart Sonata - Allegro, and a Kuhlau Sonatina - Arioso andante. The first was performed by Maciej and Shani, and the second, by Maciej and Rika, all to huge applause.

The trio

The Republic National Bank of New York (Monaco), in association with the Lionel Wendt Memorial Fund, presented the recital on August 5 at the Lionel Wendt Theatre. The performers, Maciej Pikulski, Shani Abeygooneratne, and Rika Abeygooneratne will donate the proceeds to the Lionel Wendt Piano Fund.

Maciej (originally from Poland) lives in Paris and performs regularly in Europe, Asia, North America, and Latin America. Shani is a third year student at the CNSM, Paris and recently performed in Venice, Florence, and Bolzano. Rika hopes to enter the CNR in Paris next month for a short course of study. ( Shani and Rika's parents are Sri Lankan, but the sisters were born and raised in Monaco.)

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