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An interesting showcase event, with an opportunity to see and hear live some of Naxos' stalwart recording artists. A risky programme, though, as one can quickly surfeit on 19 C virtuoso display pieces, and the first half was more satisfying than the latter. Christopher Hinterhuber and Simone Lammsa drew the short straws; Ries' Fantasy proved a dull piece and Lamsma, despite her good technique, was not able to bring Léonard's to life enough to persuade us that this was a composer meriting exploration.

For Musical Pointers, Wolf Harden stole the show right at the beginning with music which had the most interest and staying power. Busoni is amongst my favourite composers, and the harmonic twists and turns that underlay it lifted the pianistic display to a new height; both the Elegy and the Toccata are marvellous pieces. Hopefully they will find their way onto a later volume of Naxos' Busoni series (3 of them are available), but there is no real substitute for the live experience, and I shall treasure that memory.

Ilya Grubert had the good fortune to be the first of the violinists to display his Paganini credentials, and the Rossini/Ernst Fantasie Brilliante fully lived up to its title. Grubert is not a showy violinist, but one of impeccable accomplishment; he played a Guarneri which once belonged to Wieniawski (hear his offerings at this concert, with orchestra, on Naxos 8.557565).

Pianism of the highest level, with marvellous tone quality supported by ideal pedalling, ended the first half with Konstantin Scherbakov in Liszt. The once inescapably popular Consolation No 3 had the melody sculpted with generous tone over discreet accompaniment. I have never heard the daunting Rhapsodie espagnole given with such seeming ease and plenty in reserve; it was musicality which impressed, with the speed, power and prestidigitation to be taken for granted.

He has recorded Liszt's transcriptions of the Beethoven symphonies and much besides; reviews of some of his recordings (Medtner etc) suggest that he was not always able to do himself justice. Surely this very special performance at Wigmore Hall will be preserved for us; ideally on DVD? (There were three video camera in action at the concert.)

Meanwhile try Scherbakov in Godowsky's Java Suite. One reviewer said that his playing on that disc "- - is virtuosic in the extreme - Scherbakov tosses it off as if it weren't and stylishly at that. Lucky us" [Marco Polo 8225274].

The second half began (as it should have concluded !) with the most engaging of all the artists. Tianwa Yang - born in Beijing ("the best young violinist in China") - is 20 this year, and despite the hard graft of studying to this level is able to convey total involvement and joy in her music making.

What will ensure that I make every effort to keep up with her development is knowing that she is currently studying chamber music, with a member of the Alban Berg Quartet, and baroque violin with Anner Bylsma; thus showing a determination to become an all-round 21st C musician.

She easily persuaded us that those familiar Spanish dances by Sarasate were little masterpieces of their kind - totally captivating. What a pity Tianwa Yang wasn't chosen to finish and bring us down to the reality of making our way home, feasted with fine musicianship. Hear her, with tonight's accompanist Markus Hadulla, in samples from her Sarasate CD (Naxos 8.557767).

Peter Grahame Woolf