The wintry blasts outside St Chad's Church, Shrewsbury on Friday evening were soon forgotten on
entering to hear John Lill, pianist, the internationally acclaimed Beethoven expert in the latest
Shropshire Music Trust concert in a heart warming programme of music by Beethoven and Brahms.
Opening with Beethoven's youthful Sonata Op10 No3, it was immediately evident that this was a
concert in which the first half was of Beethoven's music rather than just a
John Lill performance.
Mr Lill has performed in the Music Trust series on several occasions and he is characteristically
subservient to the composer's wishes rather than embarking on an ego trip as some more brash players
might do. He lets the piano do the talking and what a fascinating conversation it is.
The Op 10 No 3 sonata is reasonably well known but how many players would have expected the
magnificent airiness of the second movement where he stretched out the phrases to breaking
point.
The second piece, Beethoven's 'Waldstein' sonata is a massive work by any standards and Mr
Lill's sheer command of dynamic and fluency on the keyboard turned this into a journey of
discovery of the inner sense of the whole. Music poured forth and this was Beethoven at his
most poignant and lyrical. Power, dynamic contrast, fluidity and sheer delight in the beauty
of the music – these are the hallmarks of John Lill's playing over the last 40 years.
The second half was devoted to works by Brahms – two Rhapsodies Op 79 Nos 1 & 2 and the Variations
and Fugue on a theme of Handel. What more praise can be given? We were in the hands of a master of
his art who lets the composer speak through him and the result is spell-binding and thoroughly
satisfying!
The next Trust concert is in Holy Trinity Church, Oswestry on 25 February with the English Chamber
Orchestra and Tasmin Little, violin.
Richard Duncan