Maestro Ax's Captivating Recital: A Journey Through the Realm of Fantasy

Emmanuel Ax, the renowned pianist, has graced the world's most prestigious concert stages for over four decades, captivating audiences with his virtuosic performances. On a recent Thursday night, he treated a responsive audience at the Groton Hill Performance Center to a mesmerizing recital that showcased his mastery of the piano and his ability to weave a cohesive narrative through a program of fantastical works.

Unlocking the Secrets of the Fantastical Realm

Beethoven's Sonata Quasi una Fantasia

Ax's recital opened with Beethoven's Sonata in E-flat Major, Op. 27, No. 1, known as the "Quasi una fantasia." From the very first notes, Ax demonstrated his exceptional control of tone and color, guiding the audience on a journey through the work's placid and introspective moments. His interpretation of the Allegro molto e vivace movement conveyed a lightness of feeling that was both captivating and unconventional, as Ax opted for a slower tempo than most performers. The Adagio, the heart of the sonata, was rendered with a depth and emotional resonance that left the audience spellbound.

Schoenberg's Drei Klavierstücke, Opus 11

Ax then turned his attention to Schoenberg's Drei Klavierstücke, Opus 11, a work that he introduced with charming commentary, acknowledging the audience's potential hesitation towards the atonal language. However, Ax's performance of the three pieces was a masterclass in navigating the complex and fantastical soundscape. The first piece, with its loud bass punctuations and skittering "small monsters," gave way to the diaphanous veils of the subsequent movements, as Ax seamlessly wove the motivic material throughout the work, creating a sense of unity within the atonal musical space.

Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata

Beethoven's "Moonlight" Sonata, No. 14 in C-sharp Minor, was the next work on the program, and Ax's interpretation was nothing short of spellbinding. The first movement seemed to float in a suspended state, with Ax's masterful elucidation of the triplet figures in the left hand and the occasional dotted eighth and sixteenth notes in the right hand creating a mesmerizing effect. Ax's pacing was impeccable, as he waited patiently for the notes to decay before launching into the second movement, which served as a delectable palate cleanser. The final movement then propelled the audience forward with its exhilarating energy.

Schoenberg's Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19

Ax's exploration of the fantastical continued with Schoenberg's Six Little Piano Pieces, Op. 19, a work that the composer described as a "complete liberation from form and symbols, cohesion and logic." Ax's performance of these brief, yet profound, pieces captured the essence of Schoenberg's vision, conveying the "multicoloured, polymorphic, illogical nature of our feelings" through a rush of sensations and unconscious connections.

Schumann's Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17

The recital culminated with Schumann's Fantasie in C Major, Op. 17, a work that Ax approached with a full-throated romanticism. In the opening movement, "Durchaus fantastisch und leidenschaftlich vorzutragen; Im Legenden-Ton," Ax's every rubato and pause captivated the audience, evoking a sense of fantastic freedom. The contrasting "Mäßig. Durchaus energisch" movement with its grand chordal opening and expansive feelings was followed by the tender "Langsam getragen. Durchweg leise zu halten," where Ax found a special place of great poignancy, overwhelming the audience with his mastery.As an encore, Ax treated the audience to Chopin's Waltz in A Minor, Op. 34, No. 2, a hauntingly beautiful work that left a lasting impression as the final notes faded into the air.