Pining for Paris
International Piano Series
April 8
Elder Hall

Once again, the International Piano Series has brought a world-class artist to Adelaide, and, once again, the artist has delivered an exceptional performance.  Pascal Roge has long been regarded as a master of French piano music, and for his first recital in Adelaide in almost twenty years he selected a program that gave him every opportunity to show why he has this reputation.

Right from the beginning, Roge’s extraordinary concentration was apparent in Faure’s Nocturne No. 1, Op. 33, as he leaned over the keyboard with eyes firmly fixed upon it, a position from which he barely moved all evening.  The perennial favourite, Satie’s Gymnopedie No. 1, followed, and though familiarity can sometimes breed contempt, one could only ease back into the seat and enjoy the pure simplicity of the pianist’s playing in this ‘short and sweet’ offering.  After Gnossiennes Nos 3 & 5 by the same composer came the classically-inspired Sonatine by Ravel.  In contrast to the Satie works, this provided some flourishes, and led nicely into the even more virtuosic Trois Pieces by Poulenc.  The striking aspect of Roge’s performance of this was the clarity of the melodic lines over the myriad of notes that provided the characteristic harmonic colour.

Book 1 of Debussy’s Preludes formed the second half of the program.  From the serenity of Voiles to the nimble playing in Les collines d’Anacapri to the raucous Ce qu’a vu le vent d’ouest, this was a performance to savour.  La fille aux cheveux de lin was enjoyable in much the same way as the Gymnopedie in the first half: a simple piece that is well-known but which was played with such extraordinarily careful phrasing that a new experience was created for the listener.  The majesty of La cathedrale engloutie was something to behold and Roge brought the playfulness of La danse de Puck fully to life.  The humorous final prelude, Minstrels, was followed by two encores, the first of which, Clair de lune, was described by the pianist as his favourite piece.  At the conclusion of the performance, the audience could understand why, and the recital-goers might well have left pining for Paris.

Benedict Coxon