Home » Saturday 22nd May 2010 at 7:45pm

Saturday 22nd May 2010 at 7:45pm

Sergei Prokofiev
Sergei Prokofiev

Masa Tayama
Masa Tayama		 Kabalevsky Overture ‘Colas Breugnon’  Click to hear a sample from a commercial recording of this work

Tchaikovsky Piano Concerto No.1 Click to hear a sample from a commercial recording of this work
    Soloist Masa Tayama

Prokofiev ‘Romeo and Juliet’ (Selection from suites 1 & 2) Click to hear a sample from a commercial recording of this work

Kabalevsky’s sparkling overture brilliantly captures the carefree moods of an exuberant hero in the mould of Till Eulenspeigel and Robin Hood. The Tchaikovsky concerto was famously rejected by its original dedicatee Nikolai Rubinstein as being worthless, unplayable and vulgar. How very wrong this has proved to be! Ever since its premiere in 1875 it has been overwhelmingly popular with audiences – and a challenge for pianists. Prokofiev’s celebrated ballet is so full of the most wonderful tunes and orchestral colour that it is a pity that time does not allow us to play it all, but only a generous selection.