Marc-André Hamelin

Marc-André Hamelin has by now become a regular at deSingel. That means we're in luck, because this French-Canadian pianist always manages to grip audiences and keep them on the edge of their seats; with his original programmes, devilish finger speed, uncanny feeling for timbre and legendary expressiveness. As well as all this, Hamelin is also a rather fine composer. The Hyperion release of his own work garnered a variety of prizes and prestigious nominations, and this concert will feature one of his own compositions, Barcarolle, on the grand piano. As a counter-balance, he will also perform a Barcarolle by Alkan. Composer Nikolaj Medtner has enjoyed a period of modest revival over the last few years. He was a contemporary and fellow countryman of Rachmaninov and Scriabin. This is apparent in his broad gestures, heavy textures and references to shared idols such as Chopin and Liszt. Medtner's Sonata in E minor is subtitled 'Night wind', a breeze that Hamelin joyfully allows to whisper over the pools of Debussy's 'Images' and 'l'Isle joyeuse'.