Adrian Sims returned for the third year of four in his series of Chopin piano recitals with poise and confidence playing for us seven delightful pieces yesterday afternoon. The earlier ones were less well known but each different and well described in the programme sheet.
A Polonaise at the start and to finish; the latter was in A Flat, the well known "Heroic". In between we enjoyed Ballade No 3 which starts with a single note and bloomed into a full-blooded statement of the initial melodic fragment.
The Berceuse was a hypnotic miracle of a piece whilst the Scherzo No 2 in C Sharp Minor was dark and brooding. Indeed it is documented that Chopin's hand was not large enough to play its first chords without spreading them. The Preludes included a balletic version of the Polish Mazurka and another a weightless Nocturne turned Majorcan storm.
We enjoyed Waltzes in A Flat. One had a fair ground hurdy-gurdy theme, another the closest to Vienna of all Chopin's Waltzes, the tuneful Opus 34, No 1.
Adrian Sims studied at the Royal College of Music and won prizes which was followed by a significant solo career before turning to a career in psychology. Now he is a business consultant. His first public concert in 18 years was at the Edinburgh Festival in 2006.
The size of the audience demonstrated the popular following he has in Edinburgh and we look forward to next year's recital.
Times: 17 Aug only