BY MICHAEL HAMMELMANN
I Got Rhythm – Music of Gershwin
Simon Tedeschi
Robert Blackwood Hall, 14 July
Seated onstage next to world-renowned pianist and Gershwin aficionado Simon Tedeschi, this intimate recital setting was as unique as Gershwin’s music itself. It was an overall enthralling and rare musical experience for the 150-seat audience at Robert Blackwood Hall. The program comprised of a distinct combination of jazz finesse with classical musicality to produce a world of Gershwin’s finest music, along with works by Percy Grainger, Dave Brubeck and Fats Waller.
Opening the program with an energetic and lively performance of Gershwin’s I Got Rhythm, Tedeschi showed numerous tonal colours within the work through his delicate touch on the piano, whilst Rialto Ripples Rag displayed a meticulous power and volume in both the left and right hands. In the three Gershwin preludes, Tedeschi revealed an immense amount of musicality and diversity, playing themes ranging from Brazilian to blues and Spanish music respectively. He presented a variety of skill in performing these three different types of music – especially in his soulful improvisation on the blues-themed second prelude – and masterfully captured the essence of the Spanish themed third prelude.
Tedeschi then switched his focus to Percy Grainger’s arrangements of Gershwin’s music. His rendition of Love Walked In contained crisp fingerwork along with much enthusiasm, while The Man I Love captivated the audience and seemed to sway us into a dream-like state; Tedeschi capturing the lyrical vocal line on piano in sublime fashion. He then ended this segment of the program with one of Grainger’s more controversial pieces In Dahomey, a work that contains all the typical madness found within a Grainger composition, which here was handled with precision and ease.
Returning to the crux of the performance, Tedeschi presented his own arrangement of Gershwin’s Summertime from Porgy and Bess. Taking a jazz approach toward the piece, he exposed the intricacies and tones of the work in an effortless manner. Furthering the Gershwin-themed evening were interpretations of ‘s Wonderful, Oh, Lady be Good and Strike Up the Band – all of which gave the audience a rare insight into Gershwin as a composer, assisted by Tedeschi’s knowledgeable playing. Dave Brubeck’s Blue Rondo à la Turk demonstrated the pianist’s versatility as a performer, by combining a blend of jazz nuances with polished classical overtones to breathe life into this incredible work.
Changing to a jazz perspective, Tedeschi continued with an engaging performance of Fats Waller’s Jitterbug Waltz along with Ain’t Misbehaving, introducing the use of stride piano in the process, giving the recital a vibrant edge. Finishing the event was an animated performance of one of Gershwin’s most famous works, Rhapsody in Blue. This resulted in a well-deserved encore, highlighting the success of the evening.
There was something in this performance for everyone, from all musical backgrounds with the audience deeply intrigued by Gershwin’s individuality as a composer and astonished by its profound and moving delivery by Tedeschi. An engaging performance from the first moment to the last, by an Australian pianist who is truly indicative of the way every 21st Century musician should strive to be.
Image supplied. Credit: Maja Baska.
