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Murray Perahia

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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.

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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.

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He took the last movement of the Moonlight Sonata at breakneck speed, and played Chopin's demanding passagework with fire and aplomb.

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