Pianist Lorenzo Medel, 14: Astonishing tour de force / Drums of Japan: Fantastic!

More than once, I have pointed to the proliferation of brilliant young pianists. Lorenzo Bueno Medel, only 14, started taking piano lessons at nine-and-a-half under UP’s Mauricia Borromeo, and after only four years, his phenomenal progress has made him outshine many of his elders.

At his recent recital at the Philamlife Theater, his interpretation of the initial numbers, two D. Scarlatti Sonatas, both in E, presaged the singularly high quality of the rest of the program, the interpretation having been a clear-cut, eloquent delineation of style and substance. Musicologist Helen Kaufmann thinks the Scarlatti Sonatas as tantalizing, fresh and expressive today as on the day they were written, noting the exuberance and piquancy of their melodies, the vivacity and flashing contrasts they afford.

Lorenzo rendered the pieces with due gentleness, refinement and delicacy, and admirably subdued dynamics.

Schumann is “the central figure in the musical romanticism of the 19th century”. His romanticism was sensitively reflected by the pianist in “Arabasque” and the “Abegg/Variations”, the repeated runs in the latter demonstrating the incredibly nimble, dexterous fingers of the pianist who stressed the melodic beauty of the former.

As for Bartok’s Ostinato from his Mikrokosmoas (Little World), the piece is among those collected in six books, written for children to instruct them in “the many different techniques, methods and procedures of piano playing in general, and modern music in particular”. Ostinato, in effect, is a drastic departure from the conventional, with its irregular, pounding rhythms, dissonances and atonalities — all of which Lorenzo conveyed with utmost vigor, energy and flair, infusing the piece with passion and color.

Debussy’s Prelude from the Suite Pour le Piano unleashed the composer’s technical and artistic devices which largely disguised the impressionism identified with him. Lorenzo met the tremendous pianistic demands head on, relying on his virtuosic skill and intuitive gifts of expression.

Ramon Santos and Antonio Molina asserted themselves, taking their place with distinction among their international peers. Santos’ fascinating K’lintang was powerfully propulsive and percussive. Molina’s Malikmata was the music for “Maria Clara and the Leper”, a number from the Noli Dance Suite of National Artist for Dance Leonor Orosa Goquingco who chose the piece for its descriptive qualities, both dramatic and lyrical. The starkly dramatic featured the leper; the exquisitely lyrical, Maria Clara.

Without the dance, Malikmata stood impressively on its own as played by Lorenzo with youthful zest and keen perception.

Climaxing the recital was Beethoven’s Concerto No. 3 in C Minor, one of the composer’s best, consisting of a vigorous first movement, Allegro con brio; an exquisitely meditative second, Largo; a tumultuous third, Rondo Allegro, characterized by its onrush of notes, runs and chords.

While Jeffrey R. Solares authoritatively conducted the Manila Symphony Orchestra’s largely young, energetic members, Lorenzo continued to astonish listeners. Again he performed with a sureness of touch and meticulous attention to every musical detail, his tones clear and crisp, their hues brilliant.

Pianist and conductor felt each other’s pulse unerringly, attaining the closest collaboration.

In response to audience clamor, Lorenzo, betraying his youth by swaying a little as he walked, and smiling sheepishly, further delighted with Liszt’s Liebestraum (“Dream of Love”).

The entire recital was an amazing tour de force. Lorenzo has already won five local prestigious awards. Even this early, I wager he is on the verge of garnering international prizes.

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Not too long ago, I attended a performance of “Yamato, Drums of Japan”. To mark Phil-Japanese Friendship Month, the Japan Foundation will present the ensemble again on July 8 (in an invitational gala) at the SM Mall of Asia Center Stage, Pasay; July 9 at the SM Mall of Asia Music Hall, and on July 10 at the SM City North EDSA Sky Dome, QC. All shows start at 7:30 p.m.

I urge everyone to watch the Japanese drummers. They are fantastic! Their drums range in size from huge to small, and the group performs in varying numbers, singly or collectively, producing out-of-this-world sounds combining traditional Japanese musical formats with modern rhythms and themes. The ensemble offers a unique visual and auditory experience not to be missed.