MUSIC REVIEW: Public Concerts as part of the 22nd International Piano Summer School at Chetham's School of Music, Manchester. Week 2 #4

Chetham's School Of Music in Manchester have been running International Piano Summer Schools for the past 22 years, and this year they have opened many of the concerts given by the working professionals tutoring the courses up to the public. What a lovely idea; during a month of when traditionally, the theatre and music worlds estivate for the month, music-lovers are now given the opportunity of seeing world-class artistes performing short concerts at a world-class venue for a fraction of the cost of a standard concert.

The final day of the summer school, and sadly I was only able to see one of the concerts, and did not stay for the evening recitals. However, this afternoon was a real treat. Having already watched Murray McLachlan several times, it was now time to introduce his daughter, Rose. Already a renowned pianist in her own right and a very bright career and future ahead of her; she presented a very mature and elegant figure this afternoon.

He programme started with Scriabin. His Piano Sonata in C# minor. It has been said of Scriabin that there is so much decoration in his piano writing that the melody can often get lost. Or to put it another way, and quote directly from Peter Schaffer's 'Amadeus': "too many notes!" Not here; McLachlan's playing was light and assured, handling the changing dynamics with skill and precision, and the melody always clear.

A change of pace, time, and place came next. We travel to central Spain to hear the folk music and idioms of the locals as described and transmuted by Spanish pianist and composer, Isaac Albeniz. In his 'Iberia Book Part 1', there are three dances, each as connected to the Andalusian soil as the soil itself, and McLachlan played these pieces with a prescience and understanding way beyond her years. Her final piece took us yet another change, as we are transported to contemporary England with Stephen Hough's rather jolly 'Fanfare Toccata'. McLachlan kept the piece light and flowing, almost like a waterfall, there were cascades of sound.

Unsure what her encore piece was, her announcement went completely unheard. However I did seem to detect a certain Star Wars theme within it...!

At just 21 years' old, Rose McLachlan's world is certainly her oyster, and I look forward to hearing much more of her over the years to come.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall
on - 23.8.23