Musica Viva introduced visiting artist Angela Hewitt to a packed hall as ‘the greatest Bach pianist of our time’. This was (probably) accurate but also clever, as it met head-on the only criticism Hewitt would be likely to attract: that she performs baroque works mostly on the piano, not instruments of the era of their composition.
It also narrowed the field for comparison. Few baroque specialists are brave enough to turn to modern instruments where an ‘authentic’ alternative is available. It might seem a contradiction, then, that Hewitt is almost as well known and respected for her scholarship as she is for her performances, particularly of the music of Johann Sebastian Bach.
The two fused in the program, one of three variations on the theme of ‘Bach plus Beethoven’ that informs all Hewitt’s concerts on this Australian tour. It began with Bach’s Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV903 and its magnificent opening toccata played with an evenness of tone, but inevitably more variation in dynamics thanks to the instrument.
With a number of long passages to be played with only one hand, Hewitt has a charming habit of using the other to ‘conduct’ herself, perhaps to keep a baroque steadiness despite the furious pace set by Bach. The Steinway’s depth emphasised the harmony created by the arpeggios, just as the occasional rallentando served to highlight the importance of a phrase or a transition.
If the work served to establish Hewitt’s superior pianistic skills as well as the rightness of her choice of instrument, there were no such points to prove with her second choice, Piano Sonata no 31 in A flat major, op 110 by Beethoven. A major work, even for the great composer, it appears to be one for which he had a clear concept of performance. All four movements have detailed instructions, the most telling being ‘With the deepest innermost feeling’.
The score, ranging from loud chords building in intensity to a fugue-like adagio, both sonorous and sorrowful, is characteristic of the mature composer. Hewitt was given far greater opportunity to demonstrate strong contrasts in dynamics and other possibilities afforded by the modern piano. This she did to the evident satisfaction of the audience, right through to an enjoyably showy finish.
However, I was in the difficult position of having heard a performance of this work just days before by Marc-Andre Hamelin, as much a Beethoven specialist as Hewitt is a leading exponent of Bach. I was overwhelmed by Hamelin’s powerful performance – and, while I respect that individuals will have different interpretations, I honestly preferred his to Hewitt’s.
So it was a relief that Hewitt had more to come – Contrapunctus X-XIV & Canons from Bach’s The Art of Fugue, BWV1080. This was simply a triumph of musicianship in the widest possible sense. Hewitt explained the intellectual challenges of the work (also delineated in her program notes) but never hesitated in her performance.
Fugues were securely executed in all their complexity and variation as Hewitt kept a strong steady hand on the proceedings. More than that, there was a deep sense of emotion and respect in the fact of their composition. These last five fugues (including the one that played on Bach’s own name) were written near the end of the composer’s life.
Hewitt then played the chorale prelude, Vor deinen Thron tret ich hiermit (Before thy throne I now appear), BWV 668a, with great sensitivity. Thought to be dictated on Bach’s deathbed, this work gave a great opportunity for Hewitt to show her insight into Bach’s thinking and his soul, as well as simply his notation. As, indeed, she always does.
Rating: 4 stars out of 5
Musica Viva presents
Angela Hewitt
Melbourne Recital Centre
September 28
BACH – Chromatic Fantasia and Fugue in D minor, BWV903
BEETHOVEN – Piano Sonata no 31 in A flat major, op 110
BACH – The Art of Fugue, BWV1080 – Contrapunctus X-XIV & Canons
Sydney: City Recital Hall, Monday 30 September
Brisbane: QLD Conservatorium of Music, Wednesday 2 October
Newcastle: Harold Lobb Concert Hall, Friday 4 October
Canberra: ANU, Llewellyn Hall, Tuesday 8 October
Adelaide: Adelaide Town Hall, Thursday 10 October
Sydney: City Recital Hall, Saturday 12 October
Image: Peter Hundert
