By Keith Jones

GRIEG and Janacek (both pianist-composers) formed the backbone of last Friday’s significant recital by British pianist Ivana Gavric for the Minehead and West Somerset Arts Society in Minehead Methodist Church.

It was significant because her affinity to both Norwegian and Czech composers, nourished by her work in Scandinavia and evidenced by her award-winning discography, makes her already a specialist in both these fields.

The 32-year-old Grieg’s Ballade Op. 24 was a response to his parents’ death, and though the Ballade is based on a simple folk song, it becomes a haunting plaintive melody, taking us on a purposeful journey of thirteen variations (tender, sorrowful, violent, and glorious). Gavric’s expressive range and special focus upon Grieg’s introspection made one wonder why this work has been so neglected. Two delightful earlier Lyric Pieces followed, and between them an ear-teasing Peasant Dance, weirdly modal and redolent of the Hardanger fiddle. Grieg’s only Piano Sonata (Op.7), written when he was 22, brought us to the interval: a work not yet free from  German Romantic influence, thus adorned with heroic gesture, but, more interestingly,  characterised by swift mood changes, varied textures and the use of contrasting  registers. Its moving lyrical heart was the Andante molto.

A Minehead premiere followed: two refreshing lyrical commissions written by Cheryl Frances-Hoad (b.1980) for her friend, our soloist. The first pre-echoed the Janacek we were later to hear and the second meditated upon chords from the Grieg sonata we had just heard. In both there were delightful hints of Messiaen and modern jazz. This is a new voice to listen out for.

Born in grief like Grieg’s Ballade, Leos Janacek’s (1854-1928) last piano work, In the Mists, speaks a bewitching language. It is full of haunting harmonies, floating rhapsodic fragments of just catchable melody, passionate outbursts and unaccountable silences. This is a language which Ivana Gavric’s subtle pianism speaks fluently.

Little wonder that in 2011 her debut disk of this work won the BBC Music Magazine Newcomer of the Year award for “playing of an altogether extraordinary calibre”. She concluded her exceptional recital with a Prelude (the plaintive Op.32 No.5) and Moments Musicaux (the dazzling Op.16 No. 4) by Rachmaninov. But how could we let her go without adding Grieg’s exhilarating Wedding Day at Troldhaugen as an encore?

Thank you, Arts Society, for another splendid scoop.