Murray Perahia Cultural Centre Concert Hall, April 19; Masterclass, HK Academy for Performing Arts, April 20 Murray Perahia's first recital in Hong Kong was a revelation in many respects.
First of all, the programming was highly unusual: the first half-comprised suites by Bach and Handel, and Beethoven's Moonlight Sonata.
The second half included a selection of Mendelssohn's Songs Without Words and his F sharp minor Fantasy, and Chopin's Berceuse and F minor Fantasy.
No Liszt showpieces or Rachmaninoff warhorses - it is refreshing indeed to see a pianist eschewing flagrant technical display in favour of a subtler musicality.
This is not to say, of course, that Perahia lacked opportunities to reveal his superb technique.
He took the last movement of the Moonlight Sonata at breakneck speed, and played Chopin's demanding passagework with fire and aplomb.