Rachmaninoff/ Beethoven: Fire & Passion
New Town Church, Edinburgh; 18/8/26
Ailsa Aitkenhead (piano)
The first of two reports from this years Edinburgh Fringe, featuring pianist, accompanist and piano teacher Ailsa Aitkenhead, covers a one-hour recital at Edinburgh’s New Town Church on the night of 18th August. As well as Rachmaninoff Preludes and Beethoven's ‘Appassionata’ Sonata, the programme also included works by Spanish composer Manuel de Falla, Turkish pianist/composer Fazil Say, and one of Ailsa's own piano compositions. The attendance at the venue was very satisfactory.
The recital opened with 19-year old Rachmaninoff’s iconic Prelude in C# minor Op.3 No.2. Its austere beauty is best revealed through firm control of dynamics and pace and Ms Aitkenhead achieved both, without any compromise of either expression or engagement of the listener. The bell-like tolling sang revealingly of some otherwise unspoken sorrow, keeping plenty in reserve for the more demonstrative reprise. The phrasing and articulation of the more emotionally demonstrative central Agitato flowed revealingly. A compelling realisation and a great concert opener, even if Rachmaninoff himself grew to resent its popularity at the expense of his other 23 preludes, of which we heard two more, both from his Op.32 set. No.12 in G# minor is short and delicately pacy, offering an opportunity to showcase independent voicing, which Ms Aitkenhead elegantly exploited with glittering liquid sounds in the right hand and a soulful melancholy song in the left. No.5 in G major is an idyllic dreamy barcarolle, painting a sound picture of vistas drifting into view and passing, concluding with a sweet Chopinesque cadence. Gorgeous.
Manuel de Falla’s stylish ‘Ritual Fire Dance’ from his 1915 ballet ‘El amor brujo’ combines Moorish and Gypsy Andalusian influences to evoke an exorcism; a widow seeking to be free of her dead husband’s ghost so she can move on. Snarling trilled crescendi evoke the thrilling danger of proximity to the flames as the ghost is lured to his destruction. The piano transcription was as fabulously exciting as the orchestral version, possibly more so.
Fazil Say’s ‘Black Earth’ is a piano piece inspired by the Turkish ballad ‘Kara Toprak’, telling a story of loss and loneliness. To emulate the sound of the saz, an oud-like Turkish folk instrument, Ms Aitkenhead stood and leaned to place her left hand on the strings, muting them, and later adding the exotic sound of quarter-tones, while playing the keys with her right. A sweetly elegiac romantic lyricism characterised the central section. A first hearing for me of an intriguing piece.
‘Fireflies Burning’ is an impressionistic piece by Ailsa Aitkenhead herself. Atmospheric rocking in the left hand was joined by glittery figures in the right at different registers. A dancing motif built gradually to a big sound, then faded to a final magical flickering, vanishing delicately into the high treble register. An entrancing miniature receiving what can only be its definitive reading.
We were back on familiar ground with Beethoven's ‘Appassionata’ Sonata. In Ms Aitkenhead’s hands (and not forgetting skilful use of pedal). the mercurial first movement richly earned its nickname with ominous brooding, the unleashing of stormy passions, purposeful aplomb, tenderness, playfulness and suspenseful mystery all finding expression. A different Beethoven was revealed in the reposeful contentment and relaxed whimsy of the D-flat major theme and variations in the Andante con moto. Elegantly realised. It doesn’t last. The driven, stormy perpetuum mobile of the finale reminds us that this is called the ‘Appassionata’ for a reason, launching without a break. Flawless agile articulation delivered the crazed headlong journey through the storm. A spooky cadenza afforded scant shelter before heading back out into the maelstrom. A hectic Presto Russian dance provided the blistering coda, sending me home with a headful of thrilling earworms. Fabulous.
Ailsa Aitkenhead returns on 25th to St Mark’s Unitarian Church on Castle Terrace with a programme of her own compositions.
Link: https://www.edfringe.com/tickets/whats-on/rachmaninoff-beethoven-fire-and-passion