Piano Recital by Kimball Gallagher

On Wednesday, July 6 2016 20:00 – 22:00

At Thailand Cultural Center (Small Hall), Bangkok

Program
Etudes Op. 10 F. Chopin
- No. 1 in C major “Waterfall”
- No. 2 in A minor “Chromatique”
- No. 3 in E major “Tristesse”
- No. 4 in C-sharp minor “Torrent”
- No. 5 in G-flat major “Black Keys”
- No. 6 in E-flat minor “Lament”
- No. 7 in C major “Toccata”
- No. 8 in F major “Sunshine”
- No. 9 in F minor
- No. 10 in A-flat major
- No. 11 in E-flat major “Arpeggio”
- No. 12 in C minor “Revolutionary”
- Intermission -
Etudes Op. 25 F. Chopin
- No. 1 in A-flat major “Aeolian Harp”
- No. 2 in F minor “The Bees”
- No. 3 in F major “The Horseman”
- No. 4 in A minor “Paganini”
- No. 5 in E minor “Wrong Note”
- No. 6 in G-sharp minor “Thirds”
- No. 7 in C-sharp minor “Cello”
- No. 8 in D-flat major “Sixths”
- No. 9 in G-flat major “Butterfly”
- No. 10 in B minor “Octave”
- No. 11 in A minor “Winter Wind”
- No. 12 in C minor “Ocean”
Etude Op. 10 No. 1 in C major “Waterfall”
Bass in the left hand sometimes played with harsh sound. Very clear and wide range of
dynamic contrasts. I like that he doesn’t use the same amount of pedal. Sometimes less pedal
and I can hear the arpeggio in the right hand more clearly. But sometimes right hand arpeggio is
not even.

Etude Op. 10 No. 2 in A minor “Chromatique”

He has a very good control over the tempo and the pulse of the music. But sometimes
the inner voice in the right hand is too loud which makes it hard to hear the chromatic line
above it.

Etude Op. 10 No. 3 in E major “Tristesse”

Very nice phrasing and shape of melodic line. I think he can add some more rubato in
certain places. He builds up very nicely into the middle part of the music. Diminished passages
before the main theme comes back can have more sound.

Etude Op. 10 No. 4 in C-sharp minor “Torrent”

Both hands are quite equal and are balanced. Sometimes the pulse is not very steady, a
little bit shaky. Some passages could have more gap, they are sometimes rushed into from
previous passages.

Etude Op. 10 No. 5 in C major “Black Keys”

His right hand plays very light and clear. Some places are blurry because of the pedal.

Etude Op. 10 No. 6 in E-flat minor “Lament”

I prefer slower tempo. It was a bit too fast for me. The melody and the accompaniment
part are well-balanced. There could be more rubato. For example, before the key changes, he
could take some more time.
Etude Op. 10 No. 7 in C major “Toccata”
Every repeated notes can be heard clearly. I like the tempo of this etude. It was not too
fast or not too slow. He really brings out the melody. Sometimes a little bit blurry.

Etude Op. 10 No. 8 in F major “Sunshine”

Very vibrant and colorful. In some places, he changes the tone and color of his playing
very nicely. The right hand is quite light and nice.

Etude Op. 10 No. 9 in F minor

Good atmosphere. He gives the feeling of dark and agitated mood. Nice melody line and
dynamics.

Etude Op. 10 No. 10 in A-flat major

He shows very clear accents in each set of the melody. I like the passage that connect
the part where the key changes. He changes the tone really nicely in the other key area.

Etude Op. 10 No. 11 in E-flat major “Arpeggio”

He rolls the chords very brilliant and clear. Very clear harmonic changes. I like that he
gradually builds up the music to the climax very nicely.

Etude Op. 10 No. 12 in C minor “Revolutionary”

The rapid passages in the left hand are very well-played. It is very intense. Sometimes he
could have better phrasing and sound in the melody.

Etude Op. 25 No. 1 in A-flat major “Aeolian Harp”

He plays this etude with a smooth and legato lines. Sometimes the accompaniment part
drowns out the melody line. He has a good building up of tension.
Etude Op. 25 No. 2 in F minor “The Bees”
His right hand melody is very leggiero and gentle. He shows the rhythm between left
hand and right hand very clearly.

Etude Op. 25 No. 3 in F major “The Horseman”

His leaps are very accurate. He gives a good sense of tempo and pulse. Really feels like
horse galloping.

Etude Op. 25 No. 4 in A minor “Paganini”

He gives a very good feeling of syncopation. The melodic line is also clear. His sound and
tone is also very good.

Etude Op. 25 No. 5 in E minor “Wrong Note”

With the ‘wrong notes’, the melody is still very clear. He has clear pedal changes. Very
beautiful middle section, very lyrical with light accompaniment, almost like a person singing.

Etude Op. 25 No. 6 in G-sharp minor “Thirds”

He shows a very good technique in this etude. The thirds could be louder in some
places. I like that he emphasizes on certain notes that is not like other pianists.

Etude Op. 25 No. 7 in C-sharp minor “Cello”

I think it is too fast and sometimes he moves too much forward. He has a very good
phrasing and melodic line in the left hand. In this etude I really like his rubato and also it gives a
melancholy feeling.

Etude Op. 25 No. 8 in D-flat major “Sixths”

Has a very lively feeling. Interval of sixths are very equal and played with good quality.
Etude Op. 25 No. 9 in G-flat major “Butterfly”
Very playful. I like that he doesn’t use too much pedal. It is very clear to hear the melody
and also not too dry. When the music builds up he uses more pedal which is very effective.

Etude Op. 25 No. 10 in B minor “Octave”

The octaves are very big and heavy. He presents a very good contrasts between major
and minor sections. In the major part, he plays the melody like singing.

Etude Op. 25 No. 11 in A minor “Winter Wind”

He has a very thick left hand part and very clear right hand part. Two hands are very
balanced. Some places are a bit not clear and not very controlled in sound. But I like when he
plays soft and light tone, really gives a different color.

Etude Op. 25 No. 12 in C minor “Ocean”

The bass part was very clear and could be heard very well throughout the piece. But
other notes could have more sound. Although the melody is still clear.