CONCERT REVIEWS
The Volksblad, May 2017 (translated)
Bloemfontein audience shares in Petronel's own pleasure
The audience enjoyed the concert, because Petronel Malan radiated musical pleasure with a good show. Her body language communicated different moods and emotions.... She interpreted everything with ease, without stressful effort. Two aspects of her game took me into the musical field: her tone balancing and phrase handling. She interprets the most subtle dynamic dimensions between voice parties with musical integrity. In her melody interpretation, she captivates the audience with surprising, unexpected dynamic events.... Some aspects of the works she played were special to me. The Mozart sonata was impeccably neat and even interpreted with humor. She played Beethoven and Brahms music as it was processed by 19th and 20th century composers. It was nice to hear quotes from and metamorphoses of well-known works, such as Beethoven's symphonies or Brahms' cheerful walks.... It is precisely because of this aspect that her concerts are so popular and her CDs are in demand....
The Burger April 2017
Pieter Kooij 17th April 2017 Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra ****
... In the symphonic concert of last week, the city hall was completely packed for the orchestra's interpretation of Mahler's Symphony no.1 (Titanium). The orchestra, led by Daniel Boico, has been enlarged to more than 80 members... The soloist of the evening was the formidable pianist Petronel Malan, who had Beethoven's famous Klavierkonsert no. 5 on. 73 (Emperor) played excellently with the orchestra. Her interpretation was classical (a slightly more romantic approach would not have been inappropriate): her tone was alternating powerful and beautifully singing, her technical skills unconscious and her musical insight profane... excellent performance...
Die Beeld - June 2017 (translated)
It is unmistakable: Petronel Malan is on several levels now as a pianist on the crest of the wave. It is a matter of progress - not only within a fluid physical dimension, but also within which sound, light, a stimulating interpretation capacity and electric atmosphere are generated.
As listeners, we were touched on Saturday night so that you could agree with David in Psalm 16 (somewhat adapted) that ". . . The test lines fell to her in beautiful places. . . "
Much of this has already been discovered with her game in the opening work, Mozart's Sonate No. 12 in F, K. 332. It is a relatively short and concise sonata in which (for Mozart) widespread emotional moods can be relieved of contrast. As an antidote of dogmatism, which by chance can never be a possibility at Mozart, Malan illuminates the wisdom of the composer's fantasy. Her game is characterized by comprehensive clarity and rating equity. This is achieved by its clean and fine controlled use of the right pedal. With this point of departure, almost everything goes to Mozart: the contrasts between legato and staccato, but also the full expression of phrases that ultimately impart the internal architecture within Mozart's refined and thoroughly purified classical style.
After that, Malan took us on an adventurous journey through the theme and variations style of a closely virtually unknown 19th century composer: Stephen Heller (1814-1888)'s 33 Variations on Beethoven's 32 Variations. Heller, born in Hungary, is only a household name for many generations of mostly German pianists and especially for his often studied Melodic Etudes. Malan has surrendered herself to Heller's challenging and richly contrasting work, proving that reefs of the purest pianist gold can be discovered within Romanticism. It was a compelling listening experience.
Eduard Schütt (1856-1933), despite his German name in Russia, is born and trained there. In two paraphrases on Brahms songs, "Wiegenlied" and "Vergebliches Ständchen", Malan lived in the former, the magic aura of one of the greatest wizards of all time. Schütt himself could have somewhat curbed his over-enthusiastic approach to the latter paraphrase.
In the first four of Rachmaninof's speculative Six moments musicaux, opus 16, Malan especially surprised in numbers 2 and 4 about the clear detail within the passive game as well as so much beat speed while in the more moderate numbers 1 and 3 the lyries- Sophisticated sound quality and marvelous romantic rubato game was ever noticeable.
In conclusion, Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960)'s Paraphrase on selected Brahms waltzes. Petronel Malan has proved that this music requires much more than correct note play, a right pace and dynamics. Her imagination brought about a true interpretation. The audience welcomed her rightly.
Durango Herald, July 2015
..... And I find myself wordless when it comes to Sunday’s concert. Bravos all around, to Canellakis, a talented and graceful conductor, pianist Petronel Malan, who owned Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G and for the orchestra, who played Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A, Opus 92, as I’ve never heard it before. A double standing ovation for Malan and a triple standing ovation for Canellakis said it all.
Malan delights at festival’s Summer Soiree
Durango Herald, July 2013
Franz Liszt groupie Petronel Malan did her crush on the “rock star” composer proud Sunday night at the Music in the Mountains Summer Soiree at Durango Mountain Resort. And her tributes to Haydn, Bach, Mozart and Rachmaninoff weren’t too shabby, either.
Don’t believe me that she’s a bona fide fan of Liszt? She names him as her “husband” on her Facebook Page (I checked) and talked about how women swooned to get a piece of his gloves and wore the dregs of his coffee in flasks as pendants. She even bakes a piano-shaped birthday cake for him on the Oct. 22s when she’s not on tour. And since she’s the rare musician who only tours and records, not making her bread and butter from teaching, that’s probably not often.
I should mention that glamorous Malan looks like a rock star herself, and is apparently thought of almost as one in her native country, South Africa. About 160 music lovers had their breath taken away by her bravura performances on Rachmaninoff’s Moments Musicaux Opus 16 presto movement and her beloved’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19. But perhaps the moments that stick with me the most are her tenderly rendered musings of Haydn from his Piano Sonata in A-flat.
Many great pianists amaze during the big moments, the showpieces. But not all have the control, patience and finesse for the so-called smaller moments, the delicate lyrical moments. Malan showed herself to be a mistress of both.
She was also a delight, sharing music trivia that turned out not to be so trivial. She feels Haydn gets lost in the shadow of Mozart and Beethoven, so she gave him top billing Sunday.
The three-time Grammy nominee also took some time to explain the art of transcription, reconfiguring the themes of a piece written for an orchestra to a string quartet, or a cello piece for the piano.
I will never look at that small notation on a program the same way after hearing of her admiration for Ignaz Friedman, a gifted pianist who escaped war-torn Europe on the last boat to safely leave Barcelona, Spain. Friedman spent the last eight years of his life in Australia, where he was a major contributor to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Many of his recordings have been lost, but Malan has given new life to his published transcriptions by recording the Bach, the Mozart and the single Beethoven.
On the Liszt, she told of how Ferruccio Busoni transcribed the Hungarian Rhapsody from a piece written for piano to a piece written for piano, with the themes condensed. Then Vladimir Horowitz recorded Busoni’s transcription with a lot of modifications of his own, inspiring Malan to take the “collaboration” and do some transcribing of her own. I’m not sure Liszt would have completely recognized it, but I’m sure he would join me in giving Malan a “Bravo!"
Bloemfontein audience shares in Petronel's own pleasure
The audience enjoyed the concert, because Petronel Malan radiated musical pleasure with a good show. Her body language communicated different moods and emotions.... She interpreted everything with ease, without stressful effort. Two aspects of her game took me into the musical field: her tone balancing and phrase handling. She interprets the most subtle dynamic dimensions between voice parties with musical integrity. In her melody interpretation, she captivates the audience with surprising, unexpected dynamic events.... Some aspects of the works she played were special to me. The Mozart sonata was impeccably neat and even interpreted with humor. She played Beethoven and Brahms music as it was processed by 19th and 20th century composers. It was nice to hear quotes from and metamorphoses of well-known works, such as Beethoven's symphonies or Brahms' cheerful walks.... It is precisely because of this aspect that her concerts are so popular and her CDs are in demand....
The Burger April 2017
Pieter Kooij 17th April 2017 Cape Town Philharmonic Orchestra ****
... In the symphonic concert of last week, the city hall was completely packed for the orchestra's interpretation of Mahler's Symphony no.1 (Titanium). The orchestra, led by Daniel Boico, has been enlarged to more than 80 members... The soloist of the evening was the formidable pianist Petronel Malan, who had Beethoven's famous Klavierkonsert no. 5 on. 73 (Emperor) played excellently with the orchestra. Her interpretation was classical (a slightly more romantic approach would not have been inappropriate): her tone was alternating powerful and beautifully singing, her technical skills unconscious and her musical insight profane... excellent performance...
Die Beeld - June 2017 (translated)
It is unmistakable: Petronel Malan is on several levels now as a pianist on the crest of the wave. It is a matter of progress - not only within a fluid physical dimension, but also within which sound, light, a stimulating interpretation capacity and electric atmosphere are generated.
As listeners, we were touched on Saturday night so that you could agree with David in Psalm 16 (somewhat adapted) that ". . . The test lines fell to her in beautiful places. . . "
Much of this has already been discovered with her game in the opening work, Mozart's Sonate No. 12 in F, K. 332. It is a relatively short and concise sonata in which (for Mozart) widespread emotional moods can be relieved of contrast. As an antidote of dogmatism, which by chance can never be a possibility at Mozart, Malan illuminates the wisdom of the composer's fantasy. Her game is characterized by comprehensive clarity and rating equity. This is achieved by its clean and fine controlled use of the right pedal. With this point of departure, almost everything goes to Mozart: the contrasts between legato and staccato, but also the full expression of phrases that ultimately impart the internal architecture within Mozart's refined and thoroughly purified classical style.
After that, Malan took us on an adventurous journey through the theme and variations style of a closely virtually unknown 19th century composer: Stephen Heller (1814-1888)'s 33 Variations on Beethoven's 32 Variations. Heller, born in Hungary, is only a household name for many generations of mostly German pianists and especially for his often studied Melodic Etudes. Malan has surrendered herself to Heller's challenging and richly contrasting work, proving that reefs of the purest pianist gold can be discovered within Romanticism. It was a compelling listening experience.
Eduard Schütt (1856-1933), despite his German name in Russia, is born and trained there. In two paraphrases on Brahms songs, "Wiegenlied" and "Vergebliches Ständchen", Malan lived in the former, the magic aura of one of the greatest wizards of all time. Schütt himself could have somewhat curbed his over-enthusiastic approach to the latter paraphrase.
In the first four of Rachmaninof's speculative Six moments musicaux, opus 16, Malan especially surprised in numbers 2 and 4 about the clear detail within the passive game as well as so much beat speed while in the more moderate numbers 1 and 3 the lyries- Sophisticated sound quality and marvelous romantic rubato game was ever noticeable.
In conclusion, Ernst von Dohnányi (1877-1960)'s Paraphrase on selected Brahms waltzes. Petronel Malan has proved that this music requires much more than correct note play, a right pace and dynamics. Her imagination brought about a true interpretation. The audience welcomed her rightly.
Durango Herald, July 2015
..... And I find myself wordless when it comes to Sunday’s concert. Bravos all around, to Canellakis, a talented and graceful conductor, pianist Petronel Malan, who owned Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G and for the orchestra, who played Beethoven’s Symphony No. 7 in A, Opus 92, as I’ve never heard it before. A double standing ovation for Malan and a triple standing ovation for Canellakis said it all.
Malan delights at festival’s Summer Soiree
Durango Herald, July 2013
Franz Liszt groupie Petronel Malan did her crush on the “rock star” composer proud Sunday night at the Music in the Mountains Summer Soiree at Durango Mountain Resort. And her tributes to Haydn, Bach, Mozart and Rachmaninoff weren’t too shabby, either.
Don’t believe me that she’s a bona fide fan of Liszt? She names him as her “husband” on her Facebook Page (I checked) and talked about how women swooned to get a piece of his gloves and wore the dregs of his coffee in flasks as pendants. She even bakes a piano-shaped birthday cake for him on the Oct. 22s when she’s not on tour. And since she’s the rare musician who only tours and records, not making her bread and butter from teaching, that’s probably not often.
I should mention that glamorous Malan looks like a rock star herself, and is apparently thought of almost as one in her native country, South Africa. About 160 music lovers had their breath taken away by her bravura performances on Rachmaninoff’s Moments Musicaux Opus 16 presto movement and her beloved’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19. But perhaps the moments that stick with me the most are her tenderly rendered musings of Haydn from his Piano Sonata in A-flat.
Many great pianists amaze during the big moments, the showpieces. But not all have the control, patience and finesse for the so-called smaller moments, the delicate lyrical moments. Malan showed herself to be a mistress of both.
She was also a delight, sharing music trivia that turned out not to be so trivial. She feels Haydn gets lost in the shadow of Mozart and Beethoven, so she gave him top billing Sunday.
The three-time Grammy nominee also took some time to explain the art of transcription, reconfiguring the themes of a piece written for an orchestra to a string quartet, or a cello piece for the piano.
I will never look at that small notation on a program the same way after hearing of her admiration for Ignaz Friedman, a gifted pianist who escaped war-torn Europe on the last boat to safely leave Barcelona, Spain. Friedman spent the last eight years of his life in Australia, where he was a major contributor to the Australian Broadcasting Corp. Many of his recordings have been lost, but Malan has given new life to his published transcriptions by recording the Bach, the Mozart and the single Beethoven.
On the Liszt, she told of how Ferruccio Busoni transcribed the Hungarian Rhapsody from a piece written for piano to a piece written for piano, with the themes condensed. Then Vladimir Horowitz recorded Busoni’s transcription with a lot of modifications of his own, inspiring Malan to take the “collaboration” and do some transcribing of her own. I’m not sure Liszt would have completely recognized it, but I’m sure he would join me in giving Malan a “Bravo!"
PETRONEL MALAN
whatsoninCapeTown.com
She was not going to compete with the bellowing of a car alarm, and nor did the audience want her to. So we sat. And we waited… with patient anticipation… until the car alarm, together with a few final coughs and sneezes, had been completely smothered. It was evident that the audience in the near capacity Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium was not going to allow even one single note of this solo performance to escape their ears and senses. And rightly so, because it is not often that we have a multiple Grammy award nominee and international competition gold medalist of in our midst.
Petronel Malan may be residing in the United States, but she definitely still has strong support and a large fan base here in South Africa, the land of her birth. For weeks now the South African media has been abuzz about her concert tour in South Africa, which includes a performance at the very popular Klein Karoo Klassique in Oudtshoorn on 10 August, as well as two concerts in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. And, while she is particularly renowned for her transcription recordings of the great masters’ works under the Hänssler Classic label, the audience at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium was elated to see that Malan also included two warhorses from the standard repertoire in her solo programme.
With assured confidence Malan sounded the opening motive of the Haydn Piano Sonata in A-flat major Hob XVI/46. Her touch was light and sensitive and the balance between harmony and melody, sublime perfection. With agile fingers we sped through the first movement only to pause momentarily as she sat with head bowed and her right hand on the piano stool, as if not only supporting herself but the weight of the sombre opening notes of the Adagio second movement. The Presto finale can only be described as a slice of exquisite exhilaration, a perfect example of the lighthearted and playful articulation so typical of the humour in Haydn’s music.
Yet, proving just how versatile she is as both performer and interpreter, Malan swiftly and skillfully swept the audience from the serenity of Haydn’s Piano Sonata to the dark and brooding opening chords – described as carrying the weight of worldly sadness – of Robert Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13. Malan played with extraordinary power and passion and the audience’s surprise and delight was made audible by the sharp intakes of their breath as Malan steered her way, with resolute commitment and unwavering stamina, through each of the etudes and variations.
Together, we explored one of Schumann’s most laboured efforts; a composition that underwent 18 years of evolution, and which have left many pianists over the last 18 decades to grapple with complex performance practice choices. Malan’s performance was nothing short of superb, from the short staccato notes and chords frolicking over the keyboard, through the virtuoso runs which took us to new heights, swaying us back and forth, to the heavy chords sinking us to the deep depths below. Malan created the perfect storm and then steered our ship to safe shores with a quick brush of her hands against the frills of her violet dress, as she prepared for the triumphant finale based on Marschner’s theme.
After the interval, Malan performed a number of transcriptions for which she has become so well known. Her first recording ‘Transfigured Bach’ was nominated for three Grammy Awards including Best Instrumental Album in 2004, and her subsequent recordings of Mozart and Beethoven transcriptions, and most recently also Tchaikovsky transcriptions, have been met with equal acclaim and enthusiasm. (The fifth ‘Transfigured Album’ featuring Brahms, will be recorded in Leipzig in 2014.) The audience thoroughly enjoyed listening to a live performance of a number of Ignaz Friedman’s piano transcriptions – popularized in South Africa through Malan’s recordings.
A fitting end to a thrilling afternoon of ‘musicking’ was the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19, S. 244 by Franz Liszt, as transcribed by Ferruccio Busoni, and further transcribed by pianist Vladimir Horowitz and Petronel Malan herself. With Malan’s extensive knowledge and experience on piano transcriptions, honed by intensive coaching from American virtuoso and transcription legend Earl Wild, one can only hope that Petronel Malan will try her hand at more transcribing herself, and bring the results back to these shores very soon.
by Andra le Roux-Kemp
whatsoninCapeTown.com
She was not going to compete with the bellowing of a car alarm, and nor did the audience want her to. So we sat. And we waited… with patient anticipation… until the car alarm, together with a few final coughs and sneezes, had been completely smothered. It was evident that the audience in the near capacity Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium was not going to allow even one single note of this solo performance to escape their ears and senses. And rightly so, because it is not often that we have a multiple Grammy award nominee and international competition gold medalist of in our midst.
Petronel Malan may be residing in the United States, but she definitely still has strong support and a large fan base here in South Africa, the land of her birth. For weeks now the South African media has been abuzz about her concert tour in South Africa, which includes a performance at the very popular Klein Karoo Klassique in Oudtshoorn on 10 August, as well as two concerts in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. And, while she is particularly renowned for her transcription recordings of the great masters’ works under the Hänssler Classic label, the audience at the Hugo Lambrechts Auditorium was elated to see that Malan also included two warhorses from the standard repertoire in her solo programme.
With assured confidence Malan sounded the opening motive of the Haydn Piano Sonata in A-flat major Hob XVI/46. Her touch was light and sensitive and the balance between harmony and melody, sublime perfection. With agile fingers we sped through the first movement only to pause momentarily as she sat with head bowed and her right hand on the piano stool, as if not only supporting herself but the weight of the sombre opening notes of the Adagio second movement. The Presto finale can only be described as a slice of exquisite exhilaration, a perfect example of the lighthearted and playful articulation so typical of the humour in Haydn’s music.
Yet, proving just how versatile she is as both performer and interpreter, Malan swiftly and skillfully swept the audience from the serenity of Haydn’s Piano Sonata to the dark and brooding opening chords – described as carrying the weight of worldly sadness – of Robert Schumann’s Symphonic Etudes, Op. 13. Malan played with extraordinary power and passion and the audience’s surprise and delight was made audible by the sharp intakes of their breath as Malan steered her way, with resolute commitment and unwavering stamina, through each of the etudes and variations.
Together, we explored one of Schumann’s most laboured efforts; a composition that underwent 18 years of evolution, and which have left many pianists over the last 18 decades to grapple with complex performance practice choices. Malan’s performance was nothing short of superb, from the short staccato notes and chords frolicking over the keyboard, through the virtuoso runs which took us to new heights, swaying us back and forth, to the heavy chords sinking us to the deep depths below. Malan created the perfect storm and then steered our ship to safe shores with a quick brush of her hands against the frills of her violet dress, as she prepared for the triumphant finale based on Marschner’s theme.
After the interval, Malan performed a number of transcriptions for which she has become so well known. Her first recording ‘Transfigured Bach’ was nominated for three Grammy Awards including Best Instrumental Album in 2004, and her subsequent recordings of Mozart and Beethoven transcriptions, and most recently also Tchaikovsky transcriptions, have been met with equal acclaim and enthusiasm. (The fifth ‘Transfigured Album’ featuring Brahms, will be recorded in Leipzig in 2014.) The audience thoroughly enjoyed listening to a live performance of a number of Ignaz Friedman’s piano transcriptions – popularized in South Africa through Malan’s recordings.
A fitting end to a thrilling afternoon of ‘musicking’ was the Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19, S. 244 by Franz Liszt, as transcribed by Ferruccio Busoni, and further transcribed by pianist Vladimir Horowitz and Petronel Malan herself. With Malan’s extensive knowledge and experience on piano transcriptions, honed by intensive coaching from American virtuoso and transcription legend Earl Wild, one can only hope that Petronel Malan will try her hand at more transcribing herself, and bring the results back to these shores very soon.
by Andra le Roux-Kemp
MALAN MESMERIZES DAR ES SALAAM
The Guardian September 2013
Although from time to time it has been possible to attend a piano recital in Dar es Salaam, not once have we been faced with a performer of such extraordinary caliber as was seen this past Sunday night in the grand ballroom of the Hyatt Regency. The Yamaha grand piano so kindly made available by the hotel was put through its paces as never before.
Even prior to the first note being played Ms. Malan had won over her audience with her undeniable beauty and warm words. Dressed in an enchanting tanzanite blue, silver sequined vintage gown reminiscent of royalty the artist regaled the audience with stories and tidbits that made us more familiar with each composer before launching into every breath-taking, frenetic performance.
The evening opened with Franz Joseph Haydn’s Piano Sonata in A-flat major, Hob XVI/46. Each movement of this piece was performed with astounding focus and clarity. From the thrilling melodies and lightning finger-work of the first and third movements to the lyrically sublime adagio Petronel had the audience, including some very young children, in the palms of those magical hands.
Giving a lighthearted warning as to the length of her second selection of the evening’s program Ms Malan delighted onlookers with stories about Robert Schumann and his “Symphonic Etudes Op 13”, considered by Ms Malan a typical example of Schumann’s Schizophrenic personality.
Sunday evening’s recital of this musical work of art, considered by many pianists as virtually impossible to play, was executed to masterful perfection. Due to foresight from the International School of Tanganyika, Ms Malan’s hands were projected onto two large screens on either side of the piano giving full view of her Olympian dexterity. Every member of the audience remained utterly spellbound during the almost-30 minutes that it took to complete the physically and mentally challenging piece which was rendered to inspirational excellence. Occasional gasps and even incredulous giggles at the shear thrill of her rendition rippled periodically through the audience.
After a well-deserved break during an intermission that saw an array of animated guests enjoying the hospitality of the International School of Tanganyika celebrating its 50th year in Dar es Salaam, Ms Malan launched into her now famous transcriptions.
Malan performed these with commanding technique and wide-ranging tone. Every note, from the smallest and lightest to full throttle thundering chords reverberating through the ball room, were played flawlessly.
Skipping one of the pieces in order to spare the piano the vigor of another powerful piece Ms Malan ended the evening’s heart stopping performances with her own transcription of the Hungarian Rhapsody no. 19, S.244 By Franz Liszt, also transposed by Ferruccio Busoni.
At this point in the evening the audience was almost reeling with the enormity of what they had been able to witness in our humble Haven of Peace.
After a prolonged and effervescent standing ovation Ms Malan fulfilled the audience’s wildest expectations by ending with an encore of astonishing verve and spine-tingling execution. Her playful yet consummate delivery of Vladimir Horowitz’ Carmen variations based on Bizet’s opera was truly a fitting end to an evening of music never before experience in Dar es Salaam.
At the close of the evening the school gave grateful thanks to those who made it possible for Ms Malan to grace our shores, including South African Airways, the Hilton Double Tree Hotel for accommodation and the Hyatt for the piano, The International School of Tanganyika, Dr. Reyno and Claire Scheepers, IPP Media and it’s esteemed executive chairman Dr. Reginald Mengi and of particular note Ms. Debra Backlund of IST.
Malan came to Tanzania to inspire our children and encourage them to be their best. She achieved this and so much more. All proceeds of her visit will bolster the IST scholarship fund that assists needy Tanzanian students in achieving an International Baccalaureate diploma and in so doing transfigures their future. Martin Hall, director of IST, expressed the hope that those who are able support this fund in the future do so as passionately as Dr. Petronel Malan had done over the past week.
It is certain that every member of the audience departed the evening carrying the deep hope that this beautiful woman will one day return to grace our shores once again.
The Guardian September 2013
Although from time to time it has been possible to attend a piano recital in Dar es Salaam, not once have we been faced with a performer of such extraordinary caliber as was seen this past Sunday night in the grand ballroom of the Hyatt Regency. The Yamaha grand piano so kindly made available by the hotel was put through its paces as never before.
Even prior to the first note being played Ms. Malan had won over her audience with her undeniable beauty and warm words. Dressed in an enchanting tanzanite blue, silver sequined vintage gown reminiscent of royalty the artist regaled the audience with stories and tidbits that made us more familiar with each composer before launching into every breath-taking, frenetic performance.
The evening opened with Franz Joseph Haydn’s Piano Sonata in A-flat major, Hob XVI/46. Each movement of this piece was performed with astounding focus and clarity. From the thrilling melodies and lightning finger-work of the first and third movements to the lyrically sublime adagio Petronel had the audience, including some very young children, in the palms of those magical hands.
Giving a lighthearted warning as to the length of her second selection of the evening’s program Ms Malan delighted onlookers with stories about Robert Schumann and his “Symphonic Etudes Op 13”, considered by Ms Malan a typical example of Schumann’s Schizophrenic personality.
Sunday evening’s recital of this musical work of art, considered by many pianists as virtually impossible to play, was executed to masterful perfection. Due to foresight from the International School of Tanganyika, Ms Malan’s hands were projected onto two large screens on either side of the piano giving full view of her Olympian dexterity. Every member of the audience remained utterly spellbound during the almost-30 minutes that it took to complete the physically and mentally challenging piece which was rendered to inspirational excellence. Occasional gasps and even incredulous giggles at the shear thrill of her rendition rippled periodically through the audience.
After a well-deserved break during an intermission that saw an array of animated guests enjoying the hospitality of the International School of Tanganyika celebrating its 50th year in Dar es Salaam, Ms Malan launched into her now famous transcriptions.
Malan performed these with commanding technique and wide-ranging tone. Every note, from the smallest and lightest to full throttle thundering chords reverberating through the ball room, were played flawlessly.
Skipping one of the pieces in order to spare the piano the vigor of another powerful piece Ms Malan ended the evening’s heart stopping performances with her own transcription of the Hungarian Rhapsody no. 19, S.244 By Franz Liszt, also transposed by Ferruccio Busoni.
At this point in the evening the audience was almost reeling with the enormity of what they had been able to witness in our humble Haven of Peace.
After a prolonged and effervescent standing ovation Ms Malan fulfilled the audience’s wildest expectations by ending with an encore of astonishing verve and spine-tingling execution. Her playful yet consummate delivery of Vladimir Horowitz’ Carmen variations based on Bizet’s opera was truly a fitting end to an evening of music never before experience in Dar es Salaam.
At the close of the evening the school gave grateful thanks to those who made it possible for Ms Malan to grace our shores, including South African Airways, the Hilton Double Tree Hotel for accommodation and the Hyatt for the piano, The International School of Tanganyika, Dr. Reyno and Claire Scheepers, IPP Media and it’s esteemed executive chairman Dr. Reginald Mengi and of particular note Ms. Debra Backlund of IST.
Malan came to Tanzania to inspire our children and encourage them to be their best. She achieved this and so much more. All proceeds of her visit will bolster the IST scholarship fund that assists needy Tanzanian students in achieving an International Baccalaureate diploma and in so doing transfigures their future. Martin Hall, director of IST, expressed the hope that those who are able support this fund in the future do so as passionately as Dr. Petronel Malan had done over the past week.
It is certain that every member of the audience departed the evening carrying the deep hope that this beautiful woman will one day return to grace our shores once again.
Naudé van der Merwe
Die Burger, Augustus 2013
Daarna het Petronel Malan bewys sy is die koningin van die klavier. Haydn, Schumann-études en soos Malan dit stel, “Busoni se transkripsie van ’n Lizst-fantasie, gegrond op ’n opname van Horowitz en ek”, het haar program uitgemaak.
Sekuur, opwindend, magies. ’n Mens kan nog baie meer byvoeglike naamwoorde gebruik om haar spel te beskryf, maar dit sal te veel plek in beslag neem.
Die Burger, Augustus 2013
Daarna het Petronel Malan bewys sy is die koningin van die klavier. Haydn, Schumann-études en soos Malan dit stel, “Busoni se transkripsie van ’n Lizst-fantasie, gegrond op ’n opname van Horowitz en ek”, het haar program uitgemaak.
Sekuur, opwindend, magies. ’n Mens kan nog baie meer byvoeglike naamwoorde gebruik om haar spel te beskryf, maar dit sal te veel plek in beslag neem.
MALAN BETOWER MET PUIK KLAVIERSPEL
Pieter Kooij August 2013
Die tweede konsert in die Kaapstadse Filharmoniese Orkes se winterseisoen was ’n groot sukses.
Die orkes, met die bekroonde Nederlandse dirigent Arjan Tien op die podium, het uitstekend gespeel, maar die solis, die hoogaangeskrewe pianis Petronel Malan, het betower met haar diep deurleefde vertolking van Mozart se Klavierconcerto in D mineur K. 466. Daarby was die stadsaal Donderdag, soos verlede week, weer stampvol.
Die konsert het minder belowend begin, met Dvorák se simfoniese toondig Die Woudduif. Die groot stemmingkontraste in ’n redelike kort werk het nie ’n goeie eenheidsgevoel gegee nie.
Tien en die orkes het die dramatiese stemming van die opening van Mozart se concerto doelgerig gevestig. Die meer liriese klavierparty wat volg, het Malan spontaan, maar pragtig stylvol gespeel. Die tekstuur was deursigtig, tog klankryk, met goeie balans tussen die klavier en die orkes.
Die cadenza aan die einde van die eerste deel is opwindend vertolk. Die romantiese inslag waarmee dit begin, is gevolg deur virtuose seksies, wat Malan met swier en bravura vermag het.
Haar elegante en sensitiewe frasevorming het pragtig na vore getree in die stadige deel, terwyl die vinnige middelseksie, met sy dramatiese dialoog tussen die klavier en die orkes, baie effektief deur die klavier oorheers is.
In die onstuimige finale het Malan haar groot tegniese vaardigheid verder ten beste vertoon. Daar was vurigheid, maar die musiek het ook gedans, gesprankel en betower.
Pieter Kooij August 2013
Die tweede konsert in die Kaapstadse Filharmoniese Orkes se winterseisoen was ’n groot sukses.
Die orkes, met die bekroonde Nederlandse dirigent Arjan Tien op die podium, het uitstekend gespeel, maar die solis, die hoogaangeskrewe pianis Petronel Malan, het betower met haar diep deurleefde vertolking van Mozart se Klavierconcerto in D mineur K. 466. Daarby was die stadsaal Donderdag, soos verlede week, weer stampvol.
Die konsert het minder belowend begin, met Dvorák se simfoniese toondig Die Woudduif. Die groot stemmingkontraste in ’n redelike kort werk het nie ’n goeie eenheidsgevoel gegee nie.
Tien en die orkes het die dramatiese stemming van die opening van Mozart se concerto doelgerig gevestig. Die meer liriese klavierparty wat volg, het Malan spontaan, maar pragtig stylvol gespeel. Die tekstuur was deursigtig, tog klankryk, met goeie balans tussen die klavier en die orkes.
Die cadenza aan die einde van die eerste deel is opwindend vertolk. Die romantiese inslag waarmee dit begin, is gevolg deur virtuose seksies, wat Malan met swier en bravura vermag het.
Haar elegante en sensitiewe frasevorming het pragtig na vore getree in die stadige deel, terwyl die vinnige middelseksie, met sy dramatiese dialoog tussen die klavier en die orkes, baie effektief deur die klavier oorheers is.
In die onstuimige finale het Malan haar groot tegniese vaardigheid verder ten beste vertoon. Daar was vurigheid, maar die musiek het ook gedans, gesprankel en betower.
TRANSFIGURED BEETHOVEN • Petronel Malan (pn) • HÄNSSLER 98.286 (78: 32)
The young South African pianist Petronel Malan is an exciting player; her Blüthner, with its rich, singing tone and glittery high register, is beautifully recorded, and I like the program concept very much. “Transfigured Beethoven” follows Malan’s earlier Hänssler recordings of 19th- and 20th-century transcriptions, arrangements and works inspired by Bach and Mozart, “Transfigured Bach” and “Transfigured Mozart.” If she were to follow up with “Transfigured Schubert” with music by Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Godowsky (which she probably wouldn’t since her imaginative programming looks beyond the usual suspects), Malan would invite direct comparison with the great Marc-André Hamelin, whose playing hers resembles. That is to say, it is full of color, energy, variety of touch, and the feeling of spontaneity, yet elegant and informed by good taste.
Her program maintains a balance between works of real substance and relative fluff. The opening set of 33 Variations by Stephen Heller is a major work by a composer best known for his miniature, Schumannesque piano etudes for students. This is a large-scale, free-spirited, and entirely unacademic piece with big technical demands. Based on Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C Minor, WoO 80, it begins with a statement of Beethoven’s short, passacaglia-like theme. Subsequent variations occasionally make reference to Beethoven’s original set, and there are clever references to various other Beethoven works in C Minor: the Fifth Symphony, and the Piano Trio, op. 1/3, as well as a nod to the opening of the Ninth Symphony. It would be fascinating to hear the original Beethoven variations followed by Heller’s set, perhaps comprising the first half of a recital program by Petronel Malan.
Giovanni Sgambati’s Minuetto is based on the playful third movement from Beethoven’s String Trio, op. 3, and Malan plays it in the spirit of its being a Romantic transcription with far more exaggerated rubato than a string trio would use in the original.
Joachim Raff is represented by his adaptation of the Romance in G for violin and orchestra. Complementing these more relaxed pieces are virtuosic works by Kalkbrenner, Ignaz Friedman, and the little-known Isidor Seiss (1840–1905), a Cologne pedagogue.
I am familiar with the piece used by Kalkbrenner in his Fantasia as a well-known waltz in A? by Schubert (D 365/op. 9/2), but the liner notes say that it is listed in the Kinsky catalog of Beethoven’s unpublished works as the Sehnsucht-waltz , WoO 14/1. I have also seen the Kalkbrenner listed elsewhere as the Fantasia for Piano on Diabelli’s Waltz ! Not that it’s terribly important, but my guess is that the waltz may have been a popular tune published by Diabelli, by neither Beethoven nor Schubert, but appropriated by both composers. In any case, Kalkbrenner’s Fantasia is really an elaborate set of variations that foreshadow some of the techniques that Schumann used in his “Abegg” Variations and Malan plays them dazzlingly.
The other major offering, besides the Heller variations, is a series of four transcriptions of movements from Beethoven’s string quartets by the short-lived Carl Taussig (1841–1871) whom Liszt considered to be his greatest pupil. Three of these are among Beethoven’s most sublime slow movements—from the first and third “Razumovsky” quartets, and the Cavatine from op. 130— and it is fascinating to hear them in these very faithful, unsimplified keyboard transcriptions. (The fourth is the quirky Allegretto movement from the second “Razumovsky” quartet, which sounds truly difficult to play.) All but the Heller and Sgambati are world premiere recordings. Highly recommended.
FANFARE: Paul Orgel arkivmusic.com
PIANIST SHOWS OFF WORLD-CLASS FEEL
Michael Traub, The Citizen, August 2013
Another fine piano recital by another artist with American connections. This one, was by Petronel Malan, who grew up in South Africa, but now resides in the United States. Malan began with a Haydn sonata, this one in A-flat major (No. 46). It is an elaborate work, full of ornamentation. The interpretation veered towards a small scale of utterance; this is a matter of personal choice, though I admit to preferring something grander. Nevertheless, the playing was immaculate, replete with carefully crafted filigree figures and always informed by a strong rhythmic propulsion.
The fireworks began thereafter, with Schumann’s Symphonic Variations. I thought the work was not a favourite of mine, but I was completely won over by this interpretation. It meshed technique and expression in a wholly convincing rendering, ending with the famously joyous Finale, which Malan played with a daring disregard for the danger of the wide leaps.
After the interval came four transcriptions by Ignaz Friedman, a famous pianist of the early 20th century. Whether it was Bach, Mozart or Beethoven, Friedman had something charming and pertinent to add to the originals. Malan has made a speciality of playing reworkings, and has made a number of well-received albums of this type of music.
The final work on the programme was Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19, the last he wrote. This too was a partial transcription, with additions and reworkings by Busoni, Horowitz and Malan herself. The playing was suitably dazzling, as was the terrific encore, the Carmen Fantasy by Horowitz, the music being drawn from one number in Bizet’s opera.
The young South African pianist Petronel Malan is an exciting player; her Blüthner, with its rich, singing tone and glittery high register, is beautifully recorded, and I like the program concept very much. “Transfigured Beethoven” follows Malan’s earlier Hänssler recordings of 19th- and 20th-century transcriptions, arrangements and works inspired by Bach and Mozart, “Transfigured Bach” and “Transfigured Mozart.” If she were to follow up with “Transfigured Schubert” with music by Liszt, Rachmaninoff, and Godowsky (which she probably wouldn’t since her imaginative programming looks beyond the usual suspects), Malan would invite direct comparison with the great Marc-André Hamelin, whose playing hers resembles. That is to say, it is full of color, energy, variety of touch, and the feeling of spontaneity, yet elegant and informed by good taste.
Her program maintains a balance between works of real substance and relative fluff. The opening set of 33 Variations by Stephen Heller is a major work by a composer best known for his miniature, Schumannesque piano etudes for students. This is a large-scale, free-spirited, and entirely unacademic piece with big technical demands. Based on Beethoven’s 32 Variations in C Minor, WoO 80, it begins with a statement of Beethoven’s short, passacaglia-like theme. Subsequent variations occasionally make reference to Beethoven’s original set, and there are clever references to various other Beethoven works in C Minor: the Fifth Symphony, and the Piano Trio, op. 1/3, as well as a nod to the opening of the Ninth Symphony. It would be fascinating to hear the original Beethoven variations followed by Heller’s set, perhaps comprising the first half of a recital program by Petronel Malan.
Giovanni Sgambati’s Minuetto is based on the playful third movement from Beethoven’s String Trio, op. 3, and Malan plays it in the spirit of its being a Romantic transcription with far more exaggerated rubato than a string trio would use in the original.
Joachim Raff is represented by his adaptation of the Romance in G for violin and orchestra. Complementing these more relaxed pieces are virtuosic works by Kalkbrenner, Ignaz Friedman, and the little-known Isidor Seiss (1840–1905), a Cologne pedagogue.
I am familiar with the piece used by Kalkbrenner in his Fantasia as a well-known waltz in A? by Schubert (D 365/op. 9/2), but the liner notes say that it is listed in the Kinsky catalog of Beethoven’s unpublished works as the Sehnsucht-waltz , WoO 14/1. I have also seen the Kalkbrenner listed elsewhere as the Fantasia for Piano on Diabelli’s Waltz ! Not that it’s terribly important, but my guess is that the waltz may have been a popular tune published by Diabelli, by neither Beethoven nor Schubert, but appropriated by both composers. In any case, Kalkbrenner’s Fantasia is really an elaborate set of variations that foreshadow some of the techniques that Schumann used in his “Abegg” Variations and Malan plays them dazzlingly.
The other major offering, besides the Heller variations, is a series of four transcriptions of movements from Beethoven’s string quartets by the short-lived Carl Taussig (1841–1871) whom Liszt considered to be his greatest pupil. Three of these are among Beethoven’s most sublime slow movements—from the first and third “Razumovsky” quartets, and the Cavatine from op. 130— and it is fascinating to hear them in these very faithful, unsimplified keyboard transcriptions. (The fourth is the quirky Allegretto movement from the second “Razumovsky” quartet, which sounds truly difficult to play.) All but the Heller and Sgambati are world premiere recordings. Highly recommended.
FANFARE: Paul Orgel arkivmusic.com
PIANIST SHOWS OFF WORLD-CLASS FEEL
Michael Traub, The Citizen, August 2013
Another fine piano recital by another artist with American connections. This one, was by Petronel Malan, who grew up in South Africa, but now resides in the United States. Malan began with a Haydn sonata, this one in A-flat major (No. 46). It is an elaborate work, full of ornamentation. The interpretation veered towards a small scale of utterance; this is a matter of personal choice, though I admit to preferring something grander. Nevertheless, the playing was immaculate, replete with carefully crafted filigree figures and always informed by a strong rhythmic propulsion.
The fireworks began thereafter, with Schumann’s Symphonic Variations. I thought the work was not a favourite of mine, but I was completely won over by this interpretation. It meshed technique and expression in a wholly convincing rendering, ending with the famously joyous Finale, which Malan played with a daring disregard for the danger of the wide leaps.
After the interval came four transcriptions by Ignaz Friedman, a famous pianist of the early 20th century. Whether it was Bach, Mozart or Beethoven, Friedman had something charming and pertinent to add to the originals. Malan has made a speciality of playing reworkings, and has made a number of well-received albums of this type of music.
The final work on the programme was Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 19, the last he wrote. This too was a partial transcription, with additions and reworkings by Busoni, Horowitz and Malan herself. The playing was suitably dazzling, as was the terrific encore, the Carmen Fantasy by Horowitz, the music being drawn from one number in Bizet’s opera.