Review: Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen at the King’s Hall, Ilkley

For the final concert of Ilkley Concert Club’s 77th season, a large audience gave a warm welcome last Wednesday to the piano duo of Katya Apekisheva and Charles Owen. Their programme comprised four well-known works from around the turn of the 20th century, bringing out interesting comparisons and hidden influences.

Ravel is known as a master orchestrator but his fairy-tale suite – Ma mère L’Oye [Mother Goose] – was written for piano duet and Katya and Charles gave a vivid and sparkling performance with wonderful singing legatos and astonishing percussive effects – the famous use of the celeste in the orchestral version brilliantly evoked here. Stravinsky’s piano duo score of his ballet Petrushka also preceded the more-often performed orchestral version and was contemporary with the Ravel. Again the performers brought forth all the familiar orchestral effects on the piano to magical effect – the bustle of the Shrovetide fair, the characteristics of the three puppets as they come to life, the tragic outcome and the final ghostly farewell! The playing was full of energy but combined with lyricism and careful attention to detail so that important phrases could emerge where necessary from the dense textures.

Fauré’s Dolly suite started the second half with its entrancing series of dances for the entertainment of a much-loved child – and the opening Berceuse part of so many British childhoods as the theme to Listen with Mother. This was followed by four movements of Holst’s suite The Planets in a piano version the composer helped to prepare. This was a tour de force of exceptional pianism, from the threateningly persistent rhythms of Mars, through the tranquillity of Venus, and the lively scherzo of Mercury, finishing with the noble expansive melody of Jupiter. Our players spared nothing to bring us a complete and beautifully nuanced realization of the score, pointing to intriguing comparisons with the Stravinsky!

It is fascinating to watch two performers, so clearly used to playing together, yet each with their own gifts to bring, combine them and almost choreograph them into a single performance. A wonderful end to a most successful season!