Pianists earn applause
for recital
Local favorite Jon Nakamatsu, the high school teacher-turned-international concert pianist hero, returned to Honolulu to present a piano recital as part of the Ellen Masaki 75th Birthday Celebration. In the second half, Lisa Nakamichi, a Masaki student who has become a professional pianist, joined Nakamatsu in works composed for two pianos.
Their performances Tuesday elicited warm applause, numerous curtain calls, and three (!) two-piano encores: "Cortège" from Debussy's "Petite Suite," Bizet's "Jeux d'enfants" and "Menuet," also from the Debussy.
Most two-piano teams work together for years, learning to anticipate nuances, interpretation and timing. Nakamatsu and Nakamichi met for the first time last Friday. Working without those years of interaction, they nonetheless collaborated well, and their distinct touches -- Nakamichi's rounder, Nakamatsu's more incisive -- complemented one another.
At the recital, their zest for playing was audible. "We really enjoyed doing it," Nakamatsu commented. "You don't often get the opportunity to do a two-piano concert."
Nakamatsu performed solo the first four pieces: a sonata by Wölfl, Schubert's four Op. 90 Impromptus, Mendelssohn's "Sonate écossaise" Op. 28, and Liszt's "Dante" Sonata.
Perhaps especially in solo performance, where every detail is exposed, making music is all about making choices. Nakamatsu's choices yielded a sensitive, very musical style and a tone that could be decisive but was never harsh.
He chose clarity over power, so that fortes never muddied; a singing melody over inner counterpoint, so that at times the left hand became a supporting murmur; and control over passion, so that even Liszt's ranting never strayed into fury. Nakamatsu demonstrated the dexterity to create a dizzying whirlwind of notes ... and then speed up, but his most memorable moments were tender: the dreamy swirls and ethereal shimmering in the Liszt, or the light, cascading right-hand parts in the Schubert. With characteristic modesty, Nakamatsu attributed his wide variety of touches to the piano: "The piano is very responsive. The strength of it is the tonal variety and the responsiveness of the action. It allows you to experiment and is very colorful, I think."
During the evening, Ellen Masaki was everywhere, greeting friends, waving to the audience, videotaping, congrat- ulating performers. Masaki's students were similarly everywhere, including in the lobby beforehand, performing on pianos on display. Even Nakamatsu's and Nakamichi's page turners, sisters Leilani and Marina Motet, who are currently studying piano performance at Texas Christian University, were former Masaki students. In a way, Masaki was even on stage, represented by the Honolulu Symphony's new Masaki Steinway, a testament to her legacy.
Ruth O. Bingham reviews classical music for the Star-Bulletin.
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