Tom Bell can be relied upon to challenge and excite, and his concert on 20th August was no exception. In the first half he played an arrangement of the final scene from Philip Glass’ Satyagraha. The precision of his timing and the fluidity of phrasing was spellbinding. If it too easily helped some to drift off into their own worlds it equally galvanised others to experience every note and every subtle inflection. The brilliance of the writing was matched by registration which enabled us to experience the score in all its detail.
By total contrast he opened the second half with a performance of Ligeti’s Volumina. Tom has always been a good raconteur and on this occasion it was necessary if we were to understand the way he approached Ligeti’s graphic score. The large screen also came into its own as we were able to follow with ease the lighting changes in registration and the technique necessary to perform the work, which requires the use of both arms and feet across the pedal board, as well as the most fluid of arpeggios. It was not only very exciting but musically convincing. This is the second time Tom Bell has brought works by Ligeti to Hastings; let us hope it is not the last.
Though the rest of the programme was impressive it could not quite meet this level of excitement, though the three Bach items in the first half were again given wonderfully apt registration and colour. The evening had opened with a richly textured reading of Henri Mullet’s Carillon Sortie, and the first half drew on a love of trains with the organist’s own arrangement of Coronation Scott.
Byrd’s A Fancie acted as a delightful sorbet between the Ligeti and the weight of Jongen’s Sonata Eroica which brought to evening – almost – to a close.
The encore was an improvisation on Three Blind Mice. We could have gone on all night, but as Tom was due to go off on holiday the next day it would have been unfair to have kept him longer. He will be welcome back any time. BH