Nottingham

Alexander Ullman (piano)

Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham

21 January 2024

4****: William Ruff

“Fine pianism – and impressive stamina - from Alexander Ullman.”

If you think a Sunday morning piano recital sounds like one of the safer and more predictable things in life, then please think again. Over the years of Nottingham’s long series there have been several last-minute panics: soloists’ visas cancelled by unfriendly states or their planes cancelled by bad weather or striking traffic controllers. In the case of this week’s advertised pianist, Tom Borrow, it was a cycling accident which put paid to his Nottingham visit.

Luckily there was ample notice on this occasion and British pianist Alexander Ullman was able to step into the breach, starting his programme with a set of Edvard Grieg’s Lyric Pieces. Grieg wrote lots of these: 66 in fact and together they form a colourful, intensely personal vision, the essence of his native Norway. The seven pieces which Alexander Ullman chose to play covered a wide range of experience: from gentle nostalgia, carefree happiness, energetic rustic dancing on the one hand to music which is strangely dark or elusive in mood on the other. Ullman produced an attractively singing tone throughout, empathising with everything - from Grieg’s infectious high spirits and tender introspection to the different moods of the mischievous Little Troll or the subtle, elegiac Remembrances with which the set concluded.

Then came one of the great challenges in the piano repertoire: the second set of Chopin’s Etudes. These studies are far more than practice-pieces for aspiring pianists. Chopin certainly designed them to be technically difficult but they were clearly meant for the concert stage rather than the practice-room, making them as satisfying to listen to as they are to play. These are pieces which need close attention to every subtle nuance if they are to dazzle and delight as they should. After a slightly hesitant start, Alexander Ullman showed that he had a deep understanding of the character of each piece: the febrile nerviness of No. 6, for instance, the rippling arpeggios of No. 1, the wild anger of No. 10 or the breath-taking cascades of notes unleashed by No. 12. Alexander Ullman’s playing was a major feat of physical stamina as well as a display of fine pianism. The audience loved it.

Alexander Ullman playing in the Sunday Morning Piano series at Nottingham’s Royal Concert Hall