We were very pleased to greet David Silkoff, an old friend of the Music Department, for the opening recital of 2022.

Bach’s Chaconne started David’s programme, a wonderfully intricate piece in D minor originally written for the violin, but here transcribed for the piano by Busoni. The brooding beginning led to ever more chromatic complexity and power, before resolving into a quieter and gentler middle section followed by a majestic finale. All beautifully executed by David.

We were then brought forward to the beginning of the C19th with Beethoven’s magnificent Sonata no 23, the Appasionata. This famous piece is, of course, a genuine masterpiece; and David brought it to us in a truly passionate way, with both feeling and superb technique.

David then took us from one heart-felt piece to a calmer but equally emotional composition with Chopin’s Nocturne in E-flat major. And from here, we were led seamlessly on to the Ballade in F major, which started with a deceptively gentle entry and then alerted us with a superb stream of notes in the middle section before subsiding to a gentle finale.  

David concluded his recital with the ever evocative Reflets dans l’eau  by Debussy, seeming as he played to bring forth images of rippling water as the notes flowed from the piano.

Thank you David for starting our 2022 session of Cathedral Music with a truly wonderful recital.

Programme