Michelangeli in Buenos Aires 1949

Michelangeli in Buenos Aires 1949

La Nación, 29 July, 1949

After several postponements due to illness, the Italian concert pianist Arturo Michelangeli made his début before our public yesterday (Thursday 28th), offering his first piano recital at the Teatro Colón. This instrumentalist had been preceded by complimentary comments from European critics, which were justified at yesterday's performance, since there is no doubt that Michelangeli is a keyboard performer of notable merit. His art stands out for the clarity of his interpretation, which is free from all exaggeration and maintains the sonorous discourse within a characteristic sobriety and fluidity of means. His mechanism is truly irreproachable, as he has achieved absolute perfection ("su mecanismo es verdaderamente irreprochable"), in the precision of the pianistic touch, as in the deification/dosage [layering?] (Spanish print not clear: dosificación/ desificación??) of sounds or in the handling of the pedal, which is always appropriate.

These skills are complemented by a flexible personality, which knows how to overcome purely technical problems at all times to dedicate itself to the musical aspect of the page fo the score which he is playing. He had devised an integrated programme of works from the repertoire by Italian, French, and German composers. It began with two sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti, which in Michelangeli's hands take on all the required freshness and grace inherent in the brilliant Neapolitan harpsichordist. Next came the "Chaconne" by Bach-Busoni, as well as the Sonata in C major, Op. 2 No. 3 by Beethoven, which followed it.

The first series of "Images" by Claude Debussy had been included, and in this concert pianist the composer found a skilled interpreter, keen to capture the subtle atmosphere of his three numbers: "Reflections in the Water," "Homage to Rameau," and "Movement." Michelangeli concluded the performance with a brilliantly vigorous performance of Brahms's Variations on a Theme by Paganini, Op. 35. The audience rewarded Michelangeli's performance with warm applause, which the pianist acknowledged by playing encores by Scarlatti, Chopin, and Albéniz.

Tomorrow (Saturday) at 5:30 p.m. the second concert will take place, a Chopin festival. The program includes the Fantasy, Op. 49, Prelude, Op. 45 Sonata No. 2, Op. 35, the Berceuse, Op. 57 and the Scherzo, Op. 31,Three Studies, and Andante Spianato and Polonaise, Op. 22

There's some confusion here: the Aura CD that has been issued lists the selection of pieces are being recorded on 21 July in the Teatro Colón; yet this review in La Nación would seem to suggest that the first recital was on the 28th, which is billed as being the first recital and a "función extraordinario". The Aura CD contains items not in this "first recital". Is ot a conflation of two recitals (Thursday and Saturday)?

(It was noted that the director general of the Colón, Mr. Cirilo Grassi Diaz, has resigned in order to retire.)