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You are here: Home / Archives for Granados

Janice Carissa Wows Central Park West

Sunday, February 26th, 2023 by Ken

Janice Carissa

Janice Carissa at Central Park West

Janice Carissa

Indonesian pianist Janice Carissa has an impressive history and is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree at Juilliard. So I was really excited to attend her New York recital on Saturday Feb. 25th, 2023.

Granados: Allegro de Concierto

Janice radiated competence from the opening flourish of this lush, flowing showpiece. She was equally at home in Granados‘ fast arpeggios and his more reflective moments. Her strong bass punctuation stitched the work together perfectly.

Granados: The Maiden and the Nightingale (Goyescas)

Janice played this sweetly romantic morsel with restraint and sensitivity. Her twinkly nightingale, appearing near the end, was suitably forlorn. If the melody in this work sounded oddly familiar, it is because it inspired the popular song Bésame Mucho by Consuelo Velázquez.

Janice Carissa

Janice Carissa playing Liszt

Granados: The Puppet “El Pelele” (Goyescas)

This cheery work was entertaining and showy. Watching Janice play, I was struck by how strong her hands were, and how assured she was at the keyboard. There might have been a minor slip here or there, nonetheless it was thrilling to watch.

Liszt: Rhapsodie Espagnole

Janice Clarissa tackled this extremely demanding work with comfort and panache. Her performance was for the most part sizzlingly clear and well-articulated. If it started sounding clangorous at the end, that’s because of Franz Liszt!

Jaya Suprana: Fragmen

Inspired by Balinese dance, this work impressed me tremendously. As explained to me, it is composed in a pentatonic melancholic tone. This is why it sounds “different” to my Western ear, and part of what makes it so beautiful.

The most representative version I could find on the Internet was played by Janice Carissa herself a decade ago.

Janice and Robin

Janice Carissa with host Robin

Perspective

Janice Carissa is a confident, engaging pianist. Her choice of repertoire for this concert was rooted in childhood memories of Granados’ music, making for a delightful Spanish-themed evening.

But by the time Liszt came around, I was in the mood for something less showy and more reflective. What else was this remarkable young pianist capable of? How will she evolve?

I discussed this with Janice, who told me that her goal as a performer is to spread the joy of music. She succeeded in doing just that at Central Park West. Judging by her audience’s response, she is well-positioned to be successful in this ultra-competitive field.

[Thank you Aryo Wicaksono for your insights into Fragmen]

 

 

Filed Under: Concerts, Private Concerts Tagged With: Aryo Wicaksono, Besame Mucho, Fragmen, Goyescas, Granados, Janice Carissa, Jaya Suprana, Liszt, piano, Robin Shoemaker

Pianist Yoonie Han Graces New York Salon

Friday, April 12th, 2019 by Ken Leave a Comment

Yoonie Han at Central Park West April 2019

Yoonie Han at the Shoemaker Salon, NYC

On Thursday April 11th 2019, pianist Yoonie Han gave a recital at the Shoemaker Salon on Central Park West, NYC.

The program was anchored by the work of French composer Reynaldo Hahn (1874-1947) and ranged across the romantic era from late 19th century to mid-20th.

Ms. Han introduced each work to us before playing, which the audience always appreciates.

Gluck/Friedman: Melodié from Orfeo ed Euridice

After just a few phrases of Mélodie it was obvious that Yoonie Han has something unique. Her fluency and refined pacing touch the edge of perfection and tug at the heart throughout this wistfully beautiful work.

Hahn: Le Rossignol éperdu (selections)

Stylistically French, Le Rossignol éperdue‘s impressionistic aura made it feel more like a predecessor to Debussy than the successor that it is.

Ms. Han played just 16 of its 53 poèmes due to the size of the work. I asked later how she chose which to play. Mostly, she selected the poèmes that she felt she played best.

Granados: Goyescas – El Amor y la Muerte

Yoonie Han with Robin Shoemaker

Yoonie with host Robin

After Hahn’s dreamy and occasionally cloying work, Granados’ more lugubrian fare with its Liszt-ian progressions was a well-chosen successor. Here Ms. Han had room to show more of her expressive range.

Encore: Clair de Lune (Debussy)

Composed in 1890, Debussy’s work was the earliest of the entire concert, yet it encapsulated our entire evening with Yoonie Han: reflective, evocative and beautifully delivered, but all too short.

Yoonie Han’s New CD

After the recital I purchased Yoonie Han’s new CD on the Steinway and Sons label. It contains the full cycle of Le Rossignol éperdue, only the second recording ever to do so.

When Ms. Han went to autograph her CD, it was difficult to find a place on the box. I suggest to Steinway and Sons that there should always be a place for the artist to write. After all, a CD is insufficient as a memento of a live performance. Fans want a little bit of the artist herself.

Filed Under: Concerts, Private Concerts Tagged With: Debussy, Gluck, Goyescas, Granados, New York, Reynaldo Hahn, Robin Shoemaker, Steinway and Sons, Yoonie Han

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