Emilio Peroni Piano Recital

Pianist Emilio Peroni

Featuring:

Emilio Peroni, piano

Prorgamme:

Carlos Guastavino Bailecito

Alberto Williams Poema de la noche, Op. 84

Julián Aguirre Gato

Alberto Ginastera

     Danza de la moza donosa

     Malambo

Carlos Di Sarli

     Milonguero viejo

     Bahía Blanca

Ariel Ramírez La tristecita

Astor Piazzolla

     Verano porteño

     Adiós nonino

Rosita Melo Desde el alma

Horacio Salgán Aquellos años camperos

Mariano Mores Taquito militar

Carlos Gardel El día que me quieras

Gerardo Rodríguez La cumparsita

It was a night of Argentinean rhythms, passion and flair as pianist Emilio Peroni performed pieces from his home country during a solo piano concert at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater). Presenting a programme that was made up of the traditional, virtuosic classical pieces as well as popular folk music, Peroni dazzled the audience who normally don’t get to hear works coming from Argentina.

The classical part were made up of pieces like Carlos Guastavino’s Bailecito, Alberto Williams’ Poema de la noche op. 84, Julián Aguirre’s Gato and Alberto Ginastera’s Danza de la moza donosa and Malambo. Aside from Ginastera, I had no idea who the other composers were. All I knew was that all of them were from Argentina. And I was amazed to hear that this kind of piano music actually exists in Argentina. It made me wonder why the piano works of Argentinean and other Latin American composers aren’t part of the usual concert repertoire of most pianists.

The second half of the programme was made up of popular folk music from Argentina  including, of course, the tango. The pieces were Carlos Di Sarli’s Milonguero viejo and Bahía Blanca, Ariel Ramírez’ La tristecita, Astor Piazzolla’s Verano porteño and Adiós nonino, Rosita Melo’s Desde el alma, Horacio Salgán’s Aquellos años camperos, Mariano Mores’ Taquito militar, and Carlos Gardel’s El día que me quieras. The last piece in the programme, Gerardo Rodríguez’ La cumparsita is probably the most popular tango piece. But Rodríguez is from Uruguay, thus making this piece the only one in the entire concert not by an Argentinean composer.

Argentinean Ambassador Joaquin Otero and Emilio Peroni

It was during the second half of the concert when things really got interesting. I noticed that many of these pieces have a very strong, syncopated bass line played by the left hand. And the passages played by the right hand are freer and more flowing, yet still anchored by the left hand’s passages. The pieces are also mostly in the minor keys, very assertive and aggressive at times. But the secondary themes tend to be more subdued and in major tonalities opening things up a bit, offering a respite from all the tension before eventually coming back to the primary themes. This pattern was really evident in Piazzolla’s sublime Adiós nonino. And I really have to say that Peroni’s El día que me quieras by Gardel was just exquisite. Peroni’s encores for the evening were Alfonsina y el Mar by Ariel Ramírez and El Choclo by Ángel Villoldo which is a popular Argentine song.

The Masterclass

Emilio Peroni conducting a masterclass

After the concert composed mainly of works by Argentine composers, it was refreshing to see Peroni tackle other composers like Beethoven, Haydn and Liszt when he conducted a masterclass the morning after the concert. He was very technical and very thorough with his students. I was amazed on how meticulous he was. His attention to detail was superb that he even noticed a single slur or a very short rest that was either omitted or added by the student. He also offered lots of tips that one can use in playing like knowing how one feels when playing certain harmonies. Different harmonies evoke different feelings and that should be reflected on how one plays. Too bad that the masterclass was held so early in the morning that I got in late and missed the first two students take part.

Overall, I was very pleased with Emilio Peroni’s piano recital in here. The repertoire that he chose to play broadened my music horizons. Peroni dispelled the notion that Europe has the monopoly for great classical/piano music. I do hope that the Embassy of the Argentine Republic brings him comes back again and I wish that Peroni performs a concerto by an Argentinean composer the next time.

Emilio Peroni’s concert and masterclass was presented by the Embassy of the Argentine Republic and the Cultural Center of the Philippines. The concert was an invitation only affair that was attended by various members of the diplomatic community, some concert regulars, and quite a few piano teachers and students.