We thought we would share a fun review from a debut performance given by Evelyn Brancart in 1982. You should be able to guess when you notice the repertoire!
From The New York Times:
By BERNARD HOLLAND
Published: December 5, 1982
“Evelyne Brancart’s piano recital Thursday in Tully Hall…consisted of the Chopin Etudes and the Brahms ”Paganini” Variations, both in their entirety.
“Miss Brancart, who is from Belgium and lives in the United States, has had considerable experience in international competitions. Her technical command of this very difficult music ranged from brilliant in the Brahms to very impressive in the Chopin.
“More importantly, Miss Brancart showed a distinctive musical personality, with many of the tempos in the Chopin being unusual and even arresting. The expression as a whole seemed more intimate – sometimes almost dainty – than grand and declamatory. The melodic lines were marked by a surging, graceful quality rather than any sense of strict proportion.”
Hear Evelyne Brancart perform the Chopin Etudes almost 30 years later on Delos’ newest release, Chez Chopin!