Piano Recital, Viv McLean, Saturday 22nd February 2025
Piano - Viv McLean
Buy your tickets for Viv McLean here.
Programme:
| Scarlatti | Four Sonatas |
| Brahms | Variations and Fugue on a theme by Handel, Op. 24 |
| Interval | |
| Mozart | Sonata No. 10 in C major, K. 330 |
| Beethoven | Sonata No. 23 in F Minor (“Appassionata”), Op. 57 |
We have enjoyed many great pianists at Amersham Concert Club over the years, and Viv McLean is the one who keeps coming back! He is one of our most popular artists, and we are delighted to welcome his return to Amersham Concert Club playing solo piano. This time Viv brings us a programme of piano music which takes us through three periods of music from the late Baroque world of Scarlatti to the early Romantic music of Beethoven.
The concert opens with four of Scarlatti’s many sonatas written for the harpsicord and the early piano. We then have a change of programme. Viv will play Brahm’s intriguing Variations and Fugue on a Theme by Handel. Brahms was one of the true masters of the variations form and is compared to Bach and Beethoven in this respect.
In the second half of the concert we start with Mozart’s popular C major sonata, followed by Beethoven’s mighty and tempestuous Appassionata sonata.
“possessing the genius one finds in those who know how to forget themselves”
“the pianist Viv McLean never faltered, spewing molten lava”
“the fluent technique and brilliance of the interpreter were impressive. He played with insight and the greatest sensitivity”
“the pianist Viv McLean never faltered, spewing molten lava”
“the fluent technique and brilliance of the interpreter were impressive. He played with insight and the greatest sensitivity”
Viv McLean won First Prize at the Maria Canals Piano Competition in Barcelona, and since then has performed in all the major venues in the UK as well as throughout Europe, Japan, Australia and the USA. Viv’s concerto work includes appearances with the RPO, Philharmonia Orchestra, LPO, Halle Orchestra, English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Concert Orchestra, Sinfonia Viva, Orchestra of the Swan, Orchestra of St John’s, Northern Chamber Orchestra, Scottish Concert Orchestra and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Viv plays regularly with the Adderbury Ensemble and has also performed with other leading chamber groups such as the Ysaye String Quartet and the Sacconi String Quartet. He has collaborated with leading musicians such as Natalie Clein, Marianne Thorsen, Daniel Hope, Adrian Brendel, Lawrence Power, Mary Bevan, David Le Page, Guy Johnston and many others. His recital with the cellist, Alice Neary, was a highlight of the Club's 2022-23 season.
Viv has performed at numerous festivals including the Cheltenham International Festival, Buxton Festival, Music in the Round Festival, Glossop Festival and Harrogate International Festival in the UK, the International Beethoven Festival, the Mecklenburg Festival and the Kultur Kreis Festival in Germany, the Festival International de Musique Classique d’Aigues-Mortes, the Melle Festival and Festival de Saintes in France, the Vinterfestspill i Bergstaden in Norway and the Musik vid Kattegatt Festival in Sweden.
Viv made his BBC Radio 3 recital debut through the BBC Radio 3 Young Artists Forum scheme and has also recorded for Classic FM, WDR Radio in Germany, Radio France, ABC Radio in Australia, NRK Radio in Norway and for the Sky Arts television channel. His commercial releases have included recordings for Sony, Signum Classics, Naxos, Nimbus, Lyrita, RPO Records, ICSM Records and his most recent albums are a Chopin recital and a selection of live recordings for Stone Records.
Viv plays regularly with the Adderbury Ensemble and has also performed with other leading chamber groups such as the Ysaye String Quartet and the Sacconi String Quartet. He has collaborated with leading musicians such as Natalie Clein, Marianne Thorsen, Daniel Hope, Adrian Brendel, Lawrence Power, Mary Bevan, David Le Page, Guy Johnston and many others. His recital with the cellist, Alice Neary, was a highlight of the Club's 2022-23 season.
Viv has performed at numerous festivals including the Cheltenham International Festival, Buxton Festival, Music in the Round Festival, Glossop Festival and Harrogate International Festival in the UK, the International Beethoven Festival, the Mecklenburg Festival and the Kultur Kreis Festival in Germany, the Festival International de Musique Classique d’Aigues-Mortes, the Melle Festival and Festival de Saintes in France, the Vinterfestspill i Bergstaden in Norway and the Musik vid Kattegatt Festival in Sweden.
Viv made his BBC Radio 3 recital debut through the BBC Radio 3 Young Artists Forum scheme and has also recorded for Classic FM, WDR Radio in Germany, Radio France, ABC Radio in Australia, NRK Radio in Norway and for the Sky Arts television channel. His commercial releases have included recordings for Sony, Signum Classics, Naxos, Nimbus, Lyrita, RPO Records, ICSM Records and his most recent albums are a Chopin recital and a selection of live recordings for Stone Records.
