Sherri Lun at the British Institute of Florence
Refined musicianship and mastery of a young star
A fascinating programme that started and finished with two of the most important works in the Romantic piano repertoire. Chopin’s last great masterpiece the Polonaise- Fantasie where Chopin had created a completely new form that was so revolutionary for it’s time that it was only many years after his death that it was finally recognised for it’s genial invention and poetic beauty. Beethoven’s shortest Sonata, but one of the composers favourite for it’s beauty and simplicity, opening the gate to the composers last period of his thirty two sonatas that spanned his entire life story.
’Widmung’ and the Fantasie were outpourings of love by Robert Schumann for his future wife Clara .It is fitting that Sherri should include a composition by Clara Schumann too, who apart from being the mother of Robert’s eight children was the first woman virtuoso of the piano and a quite considerable composer in her own right. This nocturne published at the same time as Robert’s Fantasie uses Robert’s theme from the Fantasie and is a secret love letter between them, in one of the greatest love stories of all time. ‘Widmung’ was Robert’s wedding present to Clara and was a fitting close to this concert dedicated to one of the greatest love stories ever told. Sherri had played the Chopin and Schumann Fantasies just two days before this Italian tour , in London, and I reviewed them here.
