by Chang Tou Liang

Having witnessed Malaysian pianist Mei Yi Foo “live” in solo recital and concertos at the 2005 Hong Kong International Piano Competition (where she was a finalist), this recorded CD début recital seems strangely deceptive. Having described her as a “tigress from Seremban” and a “regular Argerich-next-door”, the impression given by her recording reveals a totally different persona of a very talented young musician.

This is a very well thought out programme that endeavours to showcase different facets of her musicianship. While most up-and-coming pianists lavish virtuoso fodder (typically late Russian Romantics, Chopin and Liszt) on their calling cards, Foo chooses to let the cerebral share equal billing with the visceral before closing with the requisite fireworks. All this makes for a very balanced, satisfying and substantial musical meal.

Unusually Mei-Yee Foo (pictured right) opens with three short Preludes from a set of 24 by York Bowen (1884-1961), a Brit unfairly labeled as an “English Rachmaninov”. Conservative and largely lyrical, the music is very pleasant on the ears and makes little demands. If anything, Prelude No.7 in E flat major sounds remarkably like Nikolai Medtner (1880-1951), the Russian composer-pianist who was a contemporary of Bowen’s and lived his final years in England. Their 7 minutes – sensitively played and with much nostalgia - do not outstay its welcome.

Then we come to the meat of the programme, Brahms’ Four Ballades Op.10 and Bach’s Second French Suite. Comparisons with the likes of Gilels and Gould obviously remain but Foo has much to say that is worth listening to.

Any doubts as to whether Brahms was “classical” or “romantic” should be laid to rest, given that these four very different Ballades portray varying states of being – high tragedy in the first, serenity in the second, violence in the third and wistfulness in the fourth. Foo delivers the full gamut of emotions and expressions without histrionics or bombast.

Bach seems to be even more of her forté as the Second French Suite comes across freshly minted, and ultra crisp in articulation. Her tasteful ornamentations, liberally sprinkled along the way, do not bring undue attention to themselves. And there are none of Glenn Gould’s idiosyncrasies, like totally doing away with the sostenuto pedal or his incessant humming along. After this reading, I cannot imagine listening to the lovely Sarabande on the harpsichord without missing on a wealth of colour and nuance.

Finally, Foo pulls out all the stops in Ravel’s Gaspard de la nuit. While her white-hot performance of this work at the recital round of the competition was borne by an equal measure of inspiration and desperation (to make the next round), the studio recording under controlled circumstances, while note-perfect, sounds several shades cooler. This is most apparent in the final movement Scarbo, a scampering goblin-like portrait of the Devil himself.

No studio recording could ever replicate the heat of the moment in “live” recitals, which are unique experiences in themselves, never to be repeated again. While I was blown away by her no-prisoners-taken “live” Scarbo, I am quite happy to return to her more reined in and subdued studio Scarbo. Couple this with a finely balanced Ondine, resplendent in shimmering brilliance, and the suitably droll tolling of distant bells in Le gibet, it still makes for a gripping listen.

Mei Yi Foo is a unique individual who represents the new wave of Asian talent coming from Southeast Asia, and whose musical progress is well worth following. I look forward to her further recordings and performances.    

 

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