I have no idea how young she is but for one so young and with a pretty impressive c.v., she seemed most likely able to deliver. During this 21st concert in this edition of the VIAF (and my 17th as reviewer) she did live up to expectations. Deliver she did!

She began with a late-ish and also relatively brief work by Beethoven (1770-1827): his two movement Sonata N.27, in E minor Op. 90.This dates to 1814 and is a very personal statement by the composer. It is emotionally packed in its total of c.14 minutes. It has tempo markings significantly stated in German rather than Italian. He underlines expressive liveliness in the first movement and insists on well-measured cantabile manner in the second movement.

These qualities were well-defined in performance, decisively confident, with admirable clarity and feeling and also delves in not just Beethoven’s own feelings but clearly alludes to the work’s dedicatee Graf Moritz von Lichnowsky (1771-1837) and his courtship of an opera singer whom he eventually married. A Count and an opera singer was very daring social taboo at the time. Any hint of turbulence in the music was aptly and ably settled, ending the work on a peaceful and serene note. Future events seemed to have been rather different.

Chopin (1810-49) is often described as the pianist’s composer. Not because his piano music is easy to perform but because of the wide variety and challenges presented in his ouevre. There is the very varied emotional and melodic richness, and the many forms in which he composed. A pianist’s paradise if well-prepared with understanding intelligence.

Daphne Delicata performed from memory this journey into Chopiniana in a total of seven works. No flinching, no hesitation buy deeply felt and clear, poetic and dramatic, with heart, mind and agility. Four Impromptus, 2 Études and one Polonaise: it turned out into a colourfully woven tapestry.of delight.

Impromptu N.1 in A flat Major, Op.29 (1837).was followed by the most complex of them, N. 2 in F# Major, Op.36 (1837-9). Sailing through N.3 in G flat Major, Op.51(1842), the fourth is one of Chopin’s most popular works, to the title of which he added Fantasie. It is in C# minor, Op. 66 (posth.) Actually it was composed before the other three. Here was a case of justfyingly ignoring the composer’s wish that this work should be destroyed after his death. Thank heaven it was not and was published in 1855 six years after his death.

It is believed that Chopin’s patriotic feelings and consequent frustration led to his composition of the Étude in C minor Op.10.n.12, known as “Revolutionary”. It is believed it was because of the failure of the Polish anti-Russian rebellion of 1830-1. The work was begin around 1829 before the outbreak and finished in 1832 when it was over. Therefore there could be some truth in the story. In any case it is driven forward by its very angry and passionate nature and very difficult technical demands, with a powerful left hand dominating the process.

As her second Étude Daphne Delicata chose the one in C minor, Op. 25, n.12 (1832-6). It is nicknamed “Ocean” and the serious and turbulent nature of this work could be likened to powerful oceanic forces. As happens in most labels composers had nothing to do with such dubbing.

Chopin’s predilection regarding dance forms is well-known, thanks to his many mazurkas and waltzes. He also loved the polonaise, of which the pianist chose the one in C minor, Op.40 n.2 (1839). It is a work which also has a patriotic background. It has been observed as being one in an unusual form. It is in three distinct sections with along the way a shift of key and various other measures in which eventually there is an alternation between strong rhythms and more lyrical ideas delving into Chopin’s harmonic world. The reappearance of a much earlier theme wielded the work to a decisive conclusion.

Finally Daphne Delicata displayed the always beautiful and particularly poetic sound-world of Debussy when she performed his Éstampes (1903). So clearly defined and different: th Oriental exoticism.of Pagodes, thev unmistakably rhythmic Spanish flavour of La Soirée dans Grenade and the soft patter of rain falling in a garden in Jardin sous la pluie. Three poetic vignettes charmingly projected from beginning to end.

Albert George Storace