Jorge Bolet: Cape Town 1964

Check the relevant page for more detail on the orchestral concert on Thursday 22nd. On Tuesday 27 October, Die Burger reported on Saturday evening's recital at Green Point, when Jorge played Beethoven's Sonata No.31 in A flat, Op.110 and the Liszt Transcendental Etudes.

'Bolet's musical gifts command the highest respect. He has technical finger skills that are strongly reminiscent of Horowitz, and he has the appearance, muscular strength and endurance of a Springbok rugby forward. He has complete control over an immense range of pitches and dynamic levels, from the thunderous fortissimo to the whispering pianissimo.

'He is a man of intelligence that explains his approach and interpretation of the music he performs. He is sober and matter-of-fact.

'In his playing, nothing is exaggerated: he performs romantic music without ever unnecessarily slowing down or speeding up the chosen tempo, and without interrupting the phrasing with arbitrary accents or sudden fades in volume.  As a result, the Liszt études, as he plays them, did not come across as mood pieces evoking some association beyond the music itself, but rather as intriguing sonic constructions, full of surprising turns in terms of structure and sonority.

It is, in fact, paradoxical that after a concert by a virtuoso of such delightful technical brilliance, what lingers most strongly is the music itself — not the playing. One could hardly offer greater praise to a performing musician: that he presents music long established in the standard repertoire and, through his interpretation, casts new light upon it. In this, Jorge Bolet succeeded superbly on Saturday evening.'

In sy spel word niks oordryf nie: hy speel romantiese musiek sonder om die gekose tempo ooit onnodig te vertraag of versnel, sonder om die frasering ooit te onderbreek deur onaangeduide klemme of skielike volumewegsterwings. 

As gevolg hiervan het die Liszt- etudes, soos hy hulle speel, nie getref as stemmingstukke wat een of ander assosiasie buite die musiek oproep nie, maar wel as interessante klankesamestellinge, vol verrassende wendings wat struktuur en sonoriteit betref.

Dis eintlik paradoksaal dat 'n mens ná 'n konsert deur 'n virtuoos van so 'n heerlike tegniese begaafdheid, as sterkste indruk die musiek bybly, en nie die spel nie.

Groter lof kan 'n mens dan 'n uitvoerende musikus nie toeswaai nie: dat hy musiek voordra wat lankal op die standaardrepertorium staan, en in sy spel nuwe lig daarop laat val. Hierin het Jorge Bolet Saterdagaand uitnemend geslaag.