Duncan Glenday (Piano)
 |
 |
Duncan played for us in November 2018 (see right-hand photo above) when he accompanied violinist Sophie Rosa. We were so impressed that we decided to book him for a solo concert in 2020 (but Covid-19 then forced a year’s delay!).
British concert pianist Duncan Glenday enjoys a busy and varied performing career as a recitalist, concerto soloist, chamber musician and teacher. For over 15 years he has given recitals for music societies around the country, and he has also made many concerto appearances including Beethoven’s second piano concerto with the Northern Chamber Orchestra, and works by Dohnanyi and Copland with the RNCM Symphony Orchestra. Duncan is currently a tutor of piano at Manchester University, Chetham’s School of Music and at the Royal Northern College of Music Junior Department.
Here is a PDF of the Poster for this Concert (click to VIEW or right click to SAVE). Please feel free to print and display the poster to help publicise this concert.
Programme (announced 7th October)
Mozart: Sonata in C K309
Allegro con spirito / Andante un poco adagio / Allegretto grazioso
Schumann: Fantaisiestucke op 12
Des Abends / Aufschwung / Warum? / Grillen / Ende vom Lied
I n t e r v a l
Debussy: Suite Bergamasque
Prelude / Menuet / Clair de Lune / Passpied
Liszt: Sonetto del Petrarca 104
Liszt: Liebestraum no 3
Liszt: Festive Chorus from Verdi’s Don Carlos
Brief Report “on the night”
A wonderful concert by Duncan, who lovingly explained the background to each piece before playing it. His range was tremendous from “ppp” to very loud and back again.
He even managed to maintain his concentration and continued to play without interruption when a small frog appeared from nowhere and hopped across the room right under the piano, before being rescued and taken outside by a lady in the front row.
 |
 |
Press Report
The second concert in the Middlewich and District Concerts Society’s Winter season turned out to be a tour de force. The pianist, Duncan Glenday, made the most of playing the grand piano hired for the occasion. He also prefaced each piece with a clear background to the music and some interesting anecdotes. However, as he pointed out, with his enthusiasm for the music there was always going to be the risk of talking more than playing!
The concert began with a sonata by Mozart, that in C, K309. The gentle middle movement was a portrait of one of his pupils. He then played five of the eight sections of Schumann’s Fantaisiestucke, Opus 12. Apparently this contained coded messages for his beloved Clara, whose father opposed the match. Not only was this tricky to play, but a small frog hopped across the room and under the piano, before being gathered and put outside. He did not falter during this episode!
The second half started with the Bergamasque Suite by Debussy. This is in four short movements, in quite different styles. Interestingly, it contains Clair de Lune, played by the Camira Wind Trio at the previous concert, but it was written for the piano and was played exquisitely. The concert ended with three pieces by Liszt – Petrarch Sonnet 104, Liebestraum No. 3 and the Festive Chorus from Verdi’s Don Carlos. Liszt was a virtuoso pianist, probably one of the best there have ever been. He also produced a lot of music, including many transcriptions of his own work and that of other composers. The Sonnets were written as songs while touring Europe and then produced as solo piano pieces, the Liebestraum was also one of his songs and the Festive Chorus endeavoured to replicate the full dynamic range of the orchestra and chorus. So if you wanted fireworks, this was the place to be! It certainly dwarfed anything going on outside. The recital covered everything, from the delicacy of Mozart to the bravura of Liszt. An evening well spent!
– – – – –
For more information about Duncan Glenday visit his own web-site (in a new window), by clicking HERE (but please note that Duncan apologises for his site, which he says is “long overdue a re-launch”).
| Previous Concert | Full Season | Next Concert |