Margaret Fingerhut at Chichester

 Margaret Fingerhut, Chichester Cathedral, Sept 9th

Perhaps not all schoolchildren look forward to the first week of September but for some of us whose lives are one big holiday it is anticipated with relish. The return of Chichester Cathedral's lunchtime concert series is one of the several reasons why this is my favourite time of year.

First up was an excellent all-Chopin set by Margaret Fingerhut. The Three Mazurkas, op. 59, were a delicate enough appetizer with their, and her, unflashy charm and calm. Some words from the performer are of more use than others and Margaret's were well-chosen and offered an insight that would otherwise have been lost on me. That the third of those mazurkas ends in F# major and thus prefigures op. 60 was enlightening. Also that the Barcarolle is based on Venetian gondolier songs that Chopin would never have heard in the flesh. At first tinged with a sense of evening, they gathered in emotional impact.

The Minute Waltz, as in 'mi-nute', is the first of the three Waltzes, op.64, and was delivered without hesitation or deviation and only that repetition required by the formal processes of Western music. Listening to such familiar music- because the other two are not unfamiliar- is entirely different to hearing pieces one knows less well or not at all and it should not be taken for granted. It's a brilliant piece, here enchantingly realized. Margaret said it can't be played in 60 seconds but there's someone on You Tube doing it in 0:57, not necessarily to great artistic effect and such performances ought to be subject to drug testing. 

All of which led to the Ballade no. 4, op.52, which from its haunted beginnings takes on a more perturbèd spirit but never less than melodically and then Margaret set light to the fireworks to finish. It was a fine way to herald a new season. Not next week but every other Tuesday in Autumn there are further chances to enjoy such musicianship and with my bus pass due soon I'll be making the most of all such facilities.