I had not heard Evelyne perform before, but arriving early and having the advantage of listening to her warming up in rehearsal I was enchanted! The programme in itself was enough to entice me out on a dark wintry evening. Settling into my pew and reading about Barbara Sidwell’s appreciation and encouragement of Evelyne’s talent over many years, I sat with anticipation hoping I could do justice to this young lady in my first ever review? I guessed Evelyne was gathering her thoughts at the same time, wondering how her audience might respond to her; we were all to be rewarded for our patience. Evelyne entered with a quiet dignity and pleasant smile, dressed in a black evening gown, with her hair neatly tied up with a silver hair fastener which accentuated her beauty and complemented her whole appearance.
We were captivated at once by the gentle Adagio Sostenuto which opens Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. As Evelyne delivered the results of her deep concentration, she had her audience entranced. The second movement “Allegretto” was a little lighter than the first and by the completion of the third and final movement “Presto Agitato” I could sense a feeling of overlapping waves of a sea shore striking against the cliffs; it came to a collision of rapturous volcanic energy as the piece dramatically finished to be greeted with rapturous applause and a first “Bravo” from the audience.
Brahms composed his Variations on a Theme by Robert Schumann as a consolation for Clara Schumann, when Robert’s mental illness led to his being locked away in an asylum where she could not even visit him. Both her nostalgia for good times longed for again and her present anger at the loss of a much loved husband come across in Evelyne’s passionate performance of this difficult piece. She then turns the emotion to an original sombre mood, which I see through Clara’s eyes, concerns for the future of her husband and herself, is there one? The changing tempi of the 17 variations express a tangled mixture of emotions energetically bubbling which Evelyne brings to the surface in her eyes which speak as she plays, and in the energy she delivers in the performance. As Evelyne draws this pain out, which Robert and Clara must feel at losing each other, the music speaks where words could otherwise fail. This was my favourite piece which made me think deepest and gripped me with passion!
Chopin is normally my favourite composer, but after the Brahms it took me a little time to settle into it. However, as the movement unfurled Evelyne confidently unveiled the story; it went from a calm serenity and kept me guessing what the melodic plot would reveal; as I was guided into the sound it was like entering a corridor half lit; as I delved deeper forwards it was like having floodlights explode before my eyes and it lambasted me and pulled me into the dimensions of this very complicated piece.
Liszt’s Vallée d’ Obermann is a contemplative piece which I meditated on. I felt a romance blossom, aided by Evelyne’s nimble touch on the keyboard; the intensity grew as though emerging from a tunnel and seeing a colourful landscape being revealed as though passing full power on a train seeing scenic views with intensity growing with a passion! Some very clever fingerwork with the countless times Evelyne’s hands crossed the piano keys; almost with the exact rhythm of a Charleston being danced! The mood alters through this piece and Evelyne captures the intensity of it as she responds with an exact precision to the demands of Liszt’s score.
Her final piece was Debussy’s L’Isle Joyeuse. Full of dancing and gaiety in melody, there was a delightful feeling of space and freedom about it. As the climax arrived, and the last note was struck, there was a stored build up of emotion and intensity which burst out. The audience applauded with repeated calls of “Bravo” and the bouquets delivered were “unnumbered”; people queued to present their tokens of gratitude for a wonderful evening and a young lady who held the audience in her hand as she delivered a concert of great style and grace, a worthy and affectionate tribute to Barbara Sidwell on what would have been her 89th birthday.