The two-month summer break between recitals might have felt like a short blink to many but judging from the speed at which tickets sold, and the full-house crowd at Breinton on Saturday, we must have all been quite desperate to get back into concert mode. And what an incredible evening this was; worthwhile waiting patiently for!
The music performed by violinist Cristian de Sá and pianist John Lenehan, with the first half centred around pieces composed for the legendary violinist Joseph Joachim and the very French second half, was glorious – and deliciously ripe that when we bit into it, we tasted irresistible nectar. It was an evening where we felt every human emotion – joy, passion, excitement, peace, kindness, humour, sorrow and pain, all expressed by the gorgeous harmonies and melodies in the skillful hands of Cristian and John.
Brahms’ punchy FAE Scherzo was a perfect welcoming piece which refreshed our (at least mine) semi-asleep summer mode and set us on the right track. Clara Schumann’s remarkably expressive Three Romances embraced us and established the dialogue not only between the violin and piano, but with the audience. Brahms’ Violin Sonata No. 2 was warmly inviting, with sounds so pure, as if gently guiding us to listen and feel.
Two lovely short works by Debussy started the second half, and what elegant little gems they were, immediately setting the French tone. Faure’s dramatic Violin Sonata was a whirl of emotions – the violin and piano were woven tightly at one moment and freely at other times. If I was forced to choose my favourite moment, it was the serene yet poignant beauty of the second movement, where the violin sang over the delicate accompaniment of the piano.
Cristian’s sound making and articulation is deeply thoughtful with the utmost care – delicate and detailed to express subtleness without being too purposeful and losing the flow. What beautiful sounds he plays – we heard nothing that wasn’t beautiful for the whole evening. John’s chamber music expertise allows him to adapt in every shape and style while creating something subtly unique and individual, without ever losing the sight of playing heartfelt music with Cristian.
Maurice Ravel’s Piece en forma de Habanero concluded the lovely recital, which satisfied the full-capacity audience.
- Brahms
- Scherzo in C Minor
- Sonata No. 2
- C Schumann
- Three Romances Op. 22
- Debussy
- Two Preludes
- Fauré
- Sonata No. 1
Named a Young Classical Star on Classic FM, the British - Portuguese violinist, Cristian de Sá, embarked on his career aged 24 with his European debut recital at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam where he was introduced as “poetic... a future giant among soloists”. He was subsequently invited to make his European concerto debut with the Gulbenkian Orchestra in Lisbon under the baton of Lina González-Granados, with his performance critically acclaimed and featured by RTP Portugal and The Strad Magazine.
Cristian’s recent and upcoming notable recital and concerto engagements include performances at the Sheldonian Theatre in Oxford, The Stoller Hall in Manchester, Champs Hill Concerts, Vinehall International Concert Series, Salle Cortot (Paris), Amigos de Musica (Algarve), Grand Hall in Tbilisi State Conservatoire (Georgia), Absolute Classics (Scotland), Worthing Symphony Orchestra and at Bechstein Hall with concert pianist Andrey Gugnin with further concerts in prestigious European venues such as the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Atheneum Bucharest, Ateneo Madrid and Salle Paderewski in Lausanne. His chamber music performances include alongside Maxim Vengerov in London and in France with Renaud Capuçon, at his personal
invitation, to take part in Capuçon's initiative ‘la nouvelle génération’. Cristian has been broadcast on BBC Television, BBC Radio 3’s ‘InTune’, TVR Romania, TRT Turkey and The Violin Channel. He previously received the First Prize at the inaugural ‘Groba’ International Violin Competition in Spain and a Gold Medal with High Distinction at the Vienna International Music Competition.
Cristian is a longtime student of the French violinist, Maurice Hasson, with whom he studied at the Royal Academy of Music as a Leverhulme Scholar and graduated with the ‘J & A Beare Prize’ for the most outstanding violinist. He has also had the privilege to study with Tasmin Little, who remains his mentor, Maxim Vengerov and with Pierre Amoyal at the Mozarteum University in Salzburg.
He plays a Joseph Guadagnini, 1800.
With more than 80 albums to his credit, reflecting an enormous variety of genres and styles, John Lenehan ranks as one of the most versatile pianists on the classical scene today. This breadth of repertoire has led to his popularity on Spotify with over a quarter of a million monthly listeners worldwide. Praised by the New York Times for his “great flair and virtuosity” and the (London) Times – “a masterly recital”, John Lenehan has appeared in concerts throughout the World from Abu Dhabi to Zurich and from Aberdeen to Zimbabwe.
As a soloist he has appeared with orchestras such as the London Symphony at the Barbican and the Royal Philharmonic in the Royal Albert Hall. John Lenehan has also collaborated with some of the leading instrumentalists of our time and is recognised as an outstanding and versatile chamber musician.
His many recordings include piano recitals and concertos as well as duo sonatas, chamber music and jazz. A four-disc survey of John Ireland’s piano music received great critical acclaim including a Gramophone award, and other solo recordings include three discs for Sony Classical of minimalist piano works and a disc of Erik Satie (for Classic FM). Most recently he has recorded albums with Tasmin Little and with the Rossetti Ensemble as well as concertos by Mozart (K.467) and Beethoven (Emperor) with the National Symphony Orchestra.
John Lenehan also composes, with works published by Faber, Novello, and Schotts. His Fantasy on Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker has recently been recorded by the Budapest Symphony Orchestra. He has written and arranged for a long list of soloists and orchestras including Emma Johnson, Nigel Kennedy, Tasmin Little, Nicola Benedetti, Leonidas Kavakos and Yuja Wang, the BBC Concert Orchestra, RPO and the Hong Kong Philharmonic. Last year (2021) his work was heard in the Bastille Day celebrations in Paris (Orchestre de Paris) and the last night of the proms (BBC SO). John Lenehan’s most recent composition is a piano concerto “The Legend of Maritime Silk Road” to be premiered in China in 2023. His interest in the combination of music and film has been long-standing. As director of “Sounds for Silents” he has written and arranged more than 20 film scores, which were performed throughout the UK in Festivals such as Aldeburgh, Cheltenham, Brighton, and Harrogate as well as in Italy, Germany, Norway and Australia. He continues to present film and music programmes, reviving the art of the improvising pianist – the most recent including a tribute to the roaring twenties.