Reynaldo Reyes: Awesome!/Clara’s flamenco: Fiery!

Reynaldo Reyes holds a secure place among our leading pianists with his uncommonly wide repertoire – this ranges from Baroque to modern — and his unique programming. Through the years, he has given one-period, one-school, one-style, one-composer recitals. His specialized renditions of Chopin’s 24 Etudes, the Goldberg Variations, Debussy’s 24 Preludes resonate in the memory as much as his all-Ravel, all-Prokofieff, all-Greek and all-Spanish evenings of music.

The other Thursday, as part of the MCO Arts Festival 2007, Reyes gave a concert featuring solely the works of French-Jew Charles-Valentin Alkan, a relatively unknown composer of the 1800s. The concert at the A. Molina Hall was preceded by Reyes’ usual illuminating lecture where he described Alkan as a weird individual and a great, unique composer who even went into jazz then frowned upon by Chopin, et al.

A child prodigy, Alkan entered the Paris Conservatory at six, outclassing Alfred Cortot (whom I admire via his records), Cortot having entered the Conservatory at seven. Alkan’s mentors included Joseph Zimmerman, teacher of Bizet, Franck and Gounod. When Alkan was nine, Cherubini described his technique as extraordinary.

This technique was reflected in the playing of works which the pianist regarded easy for the most part, but whenever difficult, “atrociously” so! The compositions interpreted encompassed an infinite range of technical devices, subjects and moods; gloomy, sardonic, weird, fantastic, frightening, ethereal, happy, witty, amusing, etc.

A number of the 24 Preludes were studies in velocity, in nimbleness and speed of the left hand, in the evenness and rapidity of double runs. A few were highly descriptive; e.g., in La chanson de la folle au bord de mer (Song of the mad woman along the beach) one heard her haunting song and the turbulent rushing of the waves.

The last two preludes, Assez Vite and Etude de velocite, were “atrociously” challenging, as were the three pieces which followed under the title Trois Esquisses. The first of these depicted little devils; the second delineated a mad dog singing (or howling), the third, Scherzetto, was riddled with arresting, swift staccatos.

The final etudes, “Like the Wind,” Grecian Rhythm,” “Diabolic Scherzo” were likewise tremendously difficult, indeed diabolically daunting in their massive, thunderous chords, the swiftest runs and arpeggios covering the entire keyboard, dramatic, abrupt stops, deafening swirls of sound. With what incredible velocity they were produced!

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Clara Ramona, flamenco’s passionate advocate, presented her advanced students in “Tablao Flamenco” at the Spotlight mini theater. Ramona herself opened and closed the program with the classic Entorno de Mujer (A Woman’s Turn) danced deftly with a fan, to music by Granados, and the traditional Soleares. Naturally, none of the student dancers could match or approach Ramona’s technical discipline, sensuous, exotic grace, poise and assurance in dramatic pauses, magnetic movement of hands and arms, regal promenades about the stage, swift turns, or devastating zapateados and taconeos.

The Yerbaguena, a group of marvelous guitarists and percussionists, accompanied Ramona, complementing her constantly changing rhythms and those of the younger dancers, as well.

Their performance reflected the excellence of Ramona as teacher. For instance, Olivia Francisco, who began studying only a few months ago, danced the Tanguillo while holding her own with the rest of the soloists: the brilliant Tammy Monsod in Farruca (usually performed by male dancers), and the equally talented Mercedes Soler, Kristine Bañez, Rose Roig, Liza Dino and the lone male dancer Dante Silverio, each exhibiting varying degrees of élan, verve and hauteur — that arrogant air so typical of flamenco — and impressively rapid footwork.

Worthy of special mention was Shanghai-born, 14-year old Kimberly Chan who, having trained under Ramona for four years remarkably adhered to the spirit and style of flamenco. Tableo Flamenco’s vibrant, vigorous, vivacious dancing should gain Clara Ramona more and more adherents to her distinctively fiery idiom.