Made in USA: Gershwin, Beach & Barber

In this spellbinding recital, American pianist Claire Huangci pays homage to her homeland. She begins and ends with the jazz-inflected harmonies and inspired melodies of George Gershwin. First, Rhapsody in Blue arranged for solo piano by the great man himself. Huangci plays this with panache and fluent virtuosity, bringing the orchestra’s part to vivid life as well. It’s not quite as complete as the “standard” version—after all, the pianist surely deserves a break if they are effectively acting as band as well as soloist. But all the well-loved moments are there, including a heart-warming account of the expansive “love” theme. Then follows a real rarity in the form of Amy Beach’s Variations on Balkan Themes, composed in 1904 and revised three decades later in 1936. It starts with a suitably moody yet romantic Serbian theme followed by five variations. Three further themes are then introduced, culminating in a lusciously harmonised final theme, which the composer described as “a Macedonian appeal for help”. Huangci imbues it with great character and atmosphere, and clearly loves the piece. Equally atmospheric is her account of Barber’s ferocious Piano Sonata, originally composed between 1947 and ’49 for the great pianist Vladimir Horowitz. Huangci takes its fiery virtuosity in her stride, never overplaying her hand. After this tribute from a composer to a great pianist, Huangci ends with a great pianist’s tribute to Gershwin, bringing the recital full circle with Earl Wild’s sparkling arrangements of several of the great songwriter’s most popular melodies.