Louis Lortie and Hélène Mercier in Toronto

By Patrick P.L. Lam, 12 February 2013

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Reviewed at The Royal Conservatory of Music, TELUS Centre, Koerner Hall, Toronto on 3 February 2013

Mozart, 5 Variations in G major, K501

Schubert, Fantasia for piano 4 hands in F minor, D.940

Ravel, Rapsodie espagnole (for piano, four hands)

Rachmaninov, Symphonic Dances, Op.45 (for two pianos)

Liszt, Réminiscences de Don Juan for two pianos

Louis Lortie, Piano

Hélène Mercier, Piano

Chopin and Franck reframed with elegance and insight in Dublin

Andrew Larkin, 20th March

In Dublin, Jean-Luc Tingaud and Louis Lortie bring clarity and purpose to two composers often ill at ease with the orchestra.

****1

Louis Lortie saves the day in Philadelphia

Cameron Kelsall, 11th February

The French-Canadian pianist replaced an ailing Rudolf Buchbinder, kicking off the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society's first complete Beethoven piano sonata cycle.

*****

Louis Lortie shines in uneven program of Schubert and Mahler

Linda Holt, 18th October

Louis Lortie amazes in the Schubert-Liszt Wanderer Fantasy, while The Philadelphia Orchestra under Nézet-Séguin struggles but ultimately triumphs with Mahler's Fifth.

****1

Lortie plays Liszt's complete Années de pèlerinage

Roy Westbrook, 28th April

The several empty seats were probably a comment on the current reputation of the composer more than that of the pianist. Both deserved a full house.

*****

Prom 14: Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic go for contrasts

Alexander Hall, 24th July

Contrasts are fine but they don’t always work: in a programme with a strongly Germanic flavour John Storgårds and the BBC Philharmonic stretch the boundaries.

***11

Minnesota Orchestra reacquaint with old friends in Minneapolis

Phillip Nones, 13th April

In Minneapolis, Markus Stenz and Louis Lortie present time-honored Austro-German symphonic masterpieces in committed and compelling performances.

****1

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Patrick P.L. Lam