Despax playing brilliant

Mid-Winter Gala Eroica. Christchurch Symphony with Emmanuel Despax (piano), conductor Sir William Southgate. Town Hall Auditorium, July 7. Reviewed by Patrick Shepherd.

"The Christchurch Symphony continued its season programming the old with the new, juxtaposing three monumental works by Webern, Beethoven and Mozart.

The new also came in the form of young French pianist Emmanuel Despax, an already accomplished student from the Menuhin School and Royal College of Music, whose playing shows maturity way beyond his years and a command of his instrument that augurs well for a stellar career.

... Mozart's D minor concerto K. 466 is probably his finest concerto in any genre. Despax brought energy and a brilliant technique to bear in a sensitive and well-considered performance.

On occasion I felt he wanted to push the tempo more, particularly in the finale, but cohesion and balance with the orchestra was generally good.

The first movement was an excellent blend of gloom and fire and Despax created a nice sense of space in the Romanze. His encore was dazzling, taken at breakneck speed with a wonderfully clearly defined chorale in the inner voice ..."