Christopher Janwong McKiggan champions contemporary works in solo piano concert

Pianist Christopher Janwong McKiggan

Featuring:

Christopher Janwong McKiggan, piano

Programme:

Johannes Brahms

     Piano Sonata No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op.2

Karim Al-Zand

     Paganini Reverie

Robert Beaser

     Pag Rag

Ludwig van Beethoven

     Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op.110

Narong Prangcharoen

     Three Minds

Igor Stravinsky/Guido Agosti

     Firebird Suite

Pianist Christopher Janwong McKiggan championed contemporary music during his brief stop to the country for a solo piano concert in conjunction with the release of his debut CD of new piano works.

Held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines’ Tanghalang Aurelio Tolentino (CCP Little Theater) and co-presented by KMP Artists, the concert featured Chris’ renditions of standard repertoire pieces by Johannes Brahms, Ludwig van Beethoven and Igor Stravinsky alongside newer works by Karim Al-Zan, Robert Beaser and Narong Prancharoen. Before playing each piece, Chris provided brief backgrounds about the works enabling the audience to have a more informed listening experience.

Chris opened up with Johannes Brahms’ Piano Sonata No. 2 in F sharp minor, Op. 2, a curious way to start, for in other recitals, a sonata such as this one usually wraps things up. But this piece, featuring an arresting start, a subdued (though it builds later on) second movement, a glorious Trio in the third movement, and a hefty finale showcased Chris’ range. The next couple of pieces he played are Paganini Reverie by Karim Al-Zand and Pag Rag by Robert Beaser, commissioned works that are among the tracks in his debut CD Paganimania. The first is a dreamy, drifting impressionistic work while the latter is a fun ragtime piece that ended with a playful reminder of the source material for both pieces which is Caprice No. 24 in A minor by Niccolò Paganini.

Chris rehearsing before the concert

The second sonata Chris performed on that night was Ludwig van Beethoven’s penultimate, Piano Sonata No. 31 in A flat major, Op.110. Even if he didn’t admit to the audience beforehand that he almost never performs Beethoven (which is quite unheard of for concert pianists), his performance of this piece would still feel to me that he was not in his comfort zone especially with the fugue in the third movement. After that, he performed another contemporary work which was Narong Prangcharoen’s Three Minds which consists of three short movements depicting different state of minds. Of all the three, I was mostly drawn to the middle movement “Absent” that featured a series of hypnotic notes that lingered on for a few beats, giving out an eerie harmony, even after the strong bass notes were already released.

Chris saved his best for last with the Firebird Suite, Guido Agosti’s piano transcription of Igor Stravinsky’s ballet music. He handled with ease the complex Danse infernale, showed such delicate touch with the Berceuse and then used the glissando to great effect and heightening the sense of excitement in the Finale. It is still difficult to describe how giddy I always feel whenever I hear the start of the Finale whether it’s being heralded by the horn in the orchestral version or by a lone pianist who is consistent with his layers during this part. When I asked for feedback after the concert, I never heard anyone from the audience who didn’t have the Firebird Suite as their favorite moment in the whole evening.

After the concert, people snagged copies of the Paganimania CD, released by Albany Records that were available for sale at the lobby. And it quickly became a CD signing session for Chris. Even though attendance could’ve been a lot better, one thing that I found remarkable was that most of the audience was made up of mostly young people. The evening was indeed a magnificent display of youthful exuberance. I guess that Chris’ youth and pleasant looks, bringing contemporary works into the fore, and the wonders of the internet were instrumental in bringing out the younger set this time.