Concert review: Tallis Barker’s Piano Recital,

Holywell Music Room, 16th February 2008Both on the piano and when talking, Tallis Barker is a natural performer. He won the affection of tonight's audience by offering them a running commentary on the deficiency of his piano stool, even obliging us with a few experimental squats to tease out a squeak in evidence. Even his programme notes displayed his personality, inviting the audience to to fill the ample floor space of the Holywell Music Room with our dancing but warning them “not to be surprised if my shoe flies through your airspace.” This line summed up the feeling of tonight's concert, which was one of mesmerising skill combined with Barker's obvious enjoyment, and a freshness which is sometimes missing in the performances of more jaded musicians. This was obvious from the opening bars of the first piece, Haydn's Variations in F minor, where Barker infused the antecedent and consequent phrases with distinctive characters. Whilst maintaining the restraint appropriate for this classical work, he managed to portray the drama contained within it through subtle manipulation of tempo and soft finger work: The shimmering right hand passages were tickled out of the keys and offset by perfectly timed pauses. Barker's nimble touch was taken to dizzying heights in the following piece, Beethoven's Sonata in C major, the “Waldstein” sonata. In the opening movement,  Barker's dexterity, combined with the constant return of the main theme, put  one in mind of a circular roller-coaster ride. Luckily we could take comfort in  the knowledge that we were in the hands of somebody who kept us gripped to the rails, even if we ended up a little white-knuckled in the process. Against the  furious muttering of the accompanying chords, Barker somehow managed to bring  the lyrical melody to the foreground whilst maintaining his light-handed  approach, emphasising its celestial quality. It was in the second half, however, that Barker's passion really took hold.  Chopin's Polonaise in F sharp minor, whose main theme (according to Barker) “asserts itself and all of Poland” was a perfect outlet.  In his rendition, Barker expertly channelled his emotion through the sustenance of phrases and by using the pedal to build up the tones of the key while his hands furiously snaked up and down the entire breadth of the piano. A brief period of calm returned with the Prelude in F sharp major, the Waltz in C sharp minor and the Nocturne in B flat minor. Here we could observe Barker's attention to detail: Each finger was weighted individually, allowing certain notes to be given more prominence than others, contributing to a very expressive performance. He kept the audience riveted by varying his material. Each time the main theme of the waltz was played, its character was varied. The eruption into the final Scherzo in C sharp minor provided a final kick to the system, and one which Barker clearly enjoyed administering. His enthusiasm was infectious and right up until the concluding hammering chords, he kept the audience absolutely spellbound.by Hannah Nepil