FRINGE 2019 – “Rhapsody in Chicago Blues” with Pianist Tim Barton – 5K

by Riccardo Barone

I’m still impressed by the rich, long and virtuoso piano program performed at the Flinders St. Baptist Church by the astonishing pianist Tim Barton. His sound is well balanced, a high class touch married to a philological interpretation revealed by the performance of the Fantasy in D minor by W. A. Mozart, where the use of the pedal has been contained as tradition wants; same for the Toccata n 6 in E minor by J. S. Bach where the audience has resisted till the end of the fugue to show its enthusiasm.

The ragtime is to a great extent so dear to the Pianist, evidence clearly noticed in his compositions “2 Improvisations”, “Tim’s up tempo” and the brilliant “Griddle blues” and “Classic Chicago Boogie Woogie Piano”; obviously the program doesn’t lack for the most famous ragtime by S. Joplin, Fats Waller and Jelly Roll Morton.

Long, ecstatic, musically and technically intricate are the Davidsbundlertanze op. 6 by R. Schumann, here dominated under the  Sturm und drang influence, leaving room for a deep meditative state of mind.

The performance of G. Gershwin’s Rhapsody in Blue cannot be praised enough; all the arpeggios, scales and chromaticisms have fulfilled the church with a merciless precision and with an interpretation as big as US!

Kriztoff rating: 5k

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