Review: Allessandro Taverna ****

At Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall, Leeds

We could hardly have guessed that this young Italian, the most poetic of the finalists in the 2009 Leeds Piano Competition, would develop into the outstanding virtuoso who thrilled a capacity audience in a recital series devoted to the three major prizewinners.

His competition account of Beethoven’s Eroica Variations is now expressed with greater weight, while the capricious moments engender a more welcome degree of fantasy and rhythmic freedom.

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He has also developed the physical stamina that can take him through to the end of very exacting programmes. His flawed readings of Stravinsky’s three scenes from the ballet Petrouchka, that have often concluded his concerts, now ooze with confidence.

He certainly did not spare himself Liszt’s awesomely challenging Totentanz and Busoni’s Sonatina No 6 a prodigiously difficult showpiece on themes from Bizet’s Carmen played with white-heat brilliance.

Yet briefly he was to remind us that we had exchanged all this for his undeniable gift of creating the shimmering sounds he brings to such works as Debussy’s second set of Images. But, there again, poetic beauty does not sell concerts nowadays.

Catch Taverna at Helmsley’s Arts Centre, Nov 13, 7.30pm. 01439 771700.

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