The Sunday Times, 14 marzo 1999
recensione del medesimo concerto
Martina Caruana

RIVA’S OUTSTANDING VIRTUOSITY

The Le Meridien Phoenicia ballroom was the venue for a piano recital presented by the Malta Cultural Institute in collaboration with the Italian Cultural Institute last Monday. This was the MCl's sixth concert of the season and featured a fine young virtuoso from Milan, Adalberto M. Riva.
The recital took off with two contrasting sonatas by Domenico Scarlatti. The first, the Sonata in F sharp minor K. 25, was the more subdued of the two. This contrapuntal work was interpreted with a sound understanding of musical texture, allowing the simple melody to stand out against accompanimental material. There were subtle gradations of tone and an appropriately controlled dynamic range.
This was followed by a brighter example of Scarlatti's output : his Sonata in G Major K. 201 which Riva approached with an arresting start in the loud dynamic. The pianist' s rendition was charaterised by clear articulation, effective sforzandos and brilliant technique, elements which augured well for the more demanding items to be performed during the course of the programme.
Rossini's Un petit train de plaisir came next. This was yet another display of Riva's technical excellence which was particularly noticeable in the crisp, repeated notes and staccato passages, rapid consecutive sixths, clear trills and even block chords. The fact that it was not entirely note perfect did not detract from the overall interpretation of the work since much emphasis was placed on capturing its character.
Riva's reputation as a versatile pianist was confirmed with his rendition of the first and second Invenzioni by the 20th century composer Goffredo Petrassi. Smooth semiquaver passages were punctuated by percussive rhythms in the first invention. The second featured a broader dynamic range and impressive agility. Furthermore, once again, Riva's playing revealed his powers of analysis which were necessary to treat such complex textures.
The first half of the programme came to a close with Muzio Clementi's Sonata in B flat Major op. 17 no. 2. The delightful opening Allegro con brio featured delicate filigree demisemiquaver runs, well constructed crescendos and good musical shape. Similar qualities characterised the third movement ? the Rondo, allegro assai ? which was essentially a display of the pianist's technical confidence. Poignant arpeggiations and elear staccatos added to the charaeter of the intervening Andante quasi Allegretto.
Part two focused on the romantic period with major works by Liszt and Chopin. This part of the programme saw Riva at his best.
Riva played the Chopin Scherzo no. 3 in C shap minor with conviction. He imbued the piece with a gloomy intensity and, unfortunately, could not always reach the desired effect due to the piano's
very weak and far from, sonorous lowermost register. Delicacy was contrasted by bold chords, and gradation of tone, subtle variations of the tempo and articulation were well handled.
The beginning of Liszt's Venezia e Napoli featured highly atmospheric broken chords and these were followed by a combination of moments of warm lyricism and sections of technical wizardry. Moreover, Riva's technical accomplishment permitted sharp dynamic contrasts and interesting shifts from fluid, velvety runs to brilliantly electric passages.
The shortcomings of the piano at Riva's disposal were probably most apparent in Liszt's Après une lecture du Dante; fantasia quasi sonata. The damper action was not functioning uniformly and this marred the execution especially when sudden movements of silence were required.
Notwithstanding this difficulty, Riva gave his all and produced a passionate and technically brilliant interpretation that was powerful and energetic. Once more. his handling of texture was rernarkable, as was his effective creation of tension through abrupt transitions from fortissimo to pianissimo.
This evening of outstanding virtuosity and musicianship ended with two Liszt transcriptions of Schubert Lieder which Riva ably performed as encores for an impressed appreciative audience.