This afternoon I went to hear the famous Italian pianist Maurizio Pollini playing Chopin and Debussy at Symphony Hall in Boston. I hadn't heard him in recital here in Boston for at least ten years, though I heard him many times at the Festival Hall in London. I think he cancelled several concerts in Boston. The previous times I had heard him he had played Chopin, Brahms, Schumann and Stravinsky (Petroushka) but not Debussy, so this recital was really interesting. In my opinion he is one of the greatest pianists of all time.

He played to an almost capacity audience in Boston. The first half of the recital consisted of Chopin's works including the Prelude No 25 in C sharp minor, Ballade No 1 in G minor, Ballade No 4 in F minor, Berceuse, and Scherzo No 3 in C sharp minor.

I haven't heard the Op 25 prelude in recital very much, which is surprising as it it is so beautiful. It is rather sad and dreamy, reminiscent of some of his Nocturnes, and has some interesting modulations to other keys. He played it with a beautiful cantabile singing melody.

The two Ballades were very dramatic performances. In the coda of both ballades he played them extremely fast but at no time was there any blurring of tone or loss of detail. He brings out every harmonic subtlety and every nuance.

He shaped the melody and variations in the Berceuse very well and achieved crystal clarity in those variations with faster fingerwork.

In the Scherzo all the octaves were fast and absolutely spot on. I was very impressed by the way he played the chordal hymn-like melody and followed it with the beautiful chorale higher on the keyboard. It was beautifully balanced, quite heavenly.

The Debussy consisted of the Preludes Book 1: Danseuses de Delphes, Voiles, Le vent dans la plaine, Les sons et les parfums tournent dans l'air du soir, Les collines d'Anacapri, Des pas sur la neige, Ce qu'a vu le vent d'ouest, La fille aux cheveux de lin, La serenade interrompue, La cathedrale engloutie, La danse de Puck and Minstrels.

Much of Debussy's music is like a tone poem for the piano, and relies on subtle blending of tones, sonorities and nuances. His playing was absolutely magnificent. I've never heard Debussy's piano music played with more imagination and tonal colour as in this perfomance. He achieved an almost orchestral effect in some pieces.

He was given a standing ovation, and the audience would not let him go! He played three encores.

He followed the Preludes with "L'isle Joyeuse". I guessed he would as that's the most logical piece to follow the Preludes. He created an atmosphere of such joy, happiness, eroticism in his performance. The climax he built up to at the end left one on the edge of one's seat!

He played two more encores: Chopin's Nocturne in D flat major and the "Black Key" study Op 10. The nocturne was beautifully played and he achieved a dramatic effect in the climactic middle section, though I felt it was a little too fast for my liking, though very valid. the Black key study was quite breathtaking. I have never heard it played as fast as that, and it was thrilling to listen to. I think that in the final cascade of octaves in both hands down the keyboard he must have done this using a glissando, quite incredible!!

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