Pianist Rafal Blechacz brings passion and rapture to S'pore debut

Every winner of the prestigious International Fryderyk Chopin Piano Competition since 2000 has performed in Singapore, except for Polish pianist Rafal Blechacz.

- Chang Tou Liang

That anomaly was righted with the Singapore debut of the 2005 “Chopin Champion”, the informal title bestowed on Blechacz by Finger Waltz Music Productions, which presented his solo recital.

Opening with Ludwig van Beethoven's popular Piano Sonata No. 14 In C Sharp Minor (Op. 27 No. 2), also known as the Moonlight Sonata, Blechacz conjured a dreamy atmosphere for its famous first movement. His deft use of the sustaining pedal accounted for its nocturnal and echo-ey feel, without overdoing it.

Then the gloves came off for the folk-like dance of the second movement, and the tempest-tossed finale, which rumbled unapologetically to a tumultuous close.

Beethoven had left the constraints of the Classical era well behind to fearlessly enter the Romantic era, which he shared with Austrian composer Franz Schubert.