Convocation Hall
Friday, January 26th, 2007
8:00 p.m..
Friday night’s howling blizzard didn’t have the predictable effect on the McMaster University School of the arts Celebrity Concerts. The Convocation Hall was filled with people, not sprinkled about as the ill fated weather would have suggested.
The pianist was the British Valerie Tryon, an England born naturalized Canadian who was awarded the Franz Liszt Medal of Honor for 'outstanding achievement' in the interpretation of Liszt's music by the Hungarian Ministry of Culture in late 80’s.
The first piece she selected to perform was Mozart’s Fantasia in C minor, k.396; this fantasia was the prime display of Valerie Tryon’s amazing musicianship. Unfortunately, the fact was that very little in C minor was designed to reward an attentive listener; after all, very few people would take care to listen to the internal themes of such a music piece played right after arriving. Moreover, the melody and the tune radiate a ghost of sadness and mope which brought audience into a sentimental mood. The intro would have been a bit more uplifting if she were to play a delightful piece at prime tense to prepare the audiences enters into a fine musical fettle!
The second piece of the evening, Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in G major along with Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in G minor, Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in E minor and Domenico Scarlatti’s Sonata in F major were rewarding. Scarlatti’s Sonata works are known as little entertaining pieces for the aristocrats as well as requiring outstanding keyboard skills. When watching Valerie Tryon playing these sonatas, there would be difficulty to argue Valerie's fabulous techniques. Valerie really scores by interpreting these pieces with great feelings and marvelous technique, and her performance was an excellent transference of
