Poom Prommachart http://pprommachart.com was born in Bangkok,
Thailand and was granted a full scholarship which enabled him to continue his
studies in London where he was the last student of the legendary pianist, Yonty
Solomon. He graduated from the Royal College of Music, London where he earned a
Master’s Degree in Performance (Distinction) in 2013 and the prestigious
International Artist Diploma in 2014. Recently, he was awarded the most
prestigious Tagore Gold Medal for his great contribution to RCM. He also
received his Bachelor of Music (Honours) with the Hopkinson Gold Medal and the
Sarah Mundlak Memorial Prize for Piano from the RCM. Other important awards at RCM have included
the John Chisell Schumann Award (2009) and 1st prize in RCM Concerto
Competition where he performed Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No.2 in G minor, op.16
with RCM Symphony Orchestra conducted by Phillip Ellis.
Prommachart has won 1st prize at the Fifth International
Isidor Bajic Piano Competition in Serbia with a special prize for a Brahms’
Piano Quintet performance in the semi-final round, as well as the audience
prize. Other prizes have included 1st prize and audience prize at the UK
Intercollegiate Sheepdrove Piano Competition (2009), 1st prize at Eastbourne
Symphony Orchestra Soloist Competition (2008), 2nd prize and a special prize
for the best performance of Liszt at the International Chopin Piano Competition
in Budapest (2008), 1st prize of Thailand International Piano Competition
(2011) and 1st Prize in the Grand Final of Sussex International
Piano Competition (2013).
He has continued his studies at the École Normale de Musique
de Paris Alfred Cortot with Ramzi Yassa and has also been working privately
with a celebrated German pianist, Wolfram Schmitt-Leonardy in Munich, Germany.
He has performed in many world-famous concert halls
throughout Europe, Asia and Australia and also worked with many leading
Orchestras. His repertoire already includes over thirty concertos.
Poom Prommachart has
recently recorded a debut solo CD for Champs Hill Records www.champshillrecords.co.uk featuring
the works of Liszt, Scriabin, Medtner and Kreisler.
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| CHRCD104 |
Poom Prommachart delves deeply into Franz Liszt’s (1811-1886) Variations on a Theme of Bach bringing
some very fine moments as he slowly develops the music with finely controlled
dynamics. There are some really virtuosic, stormy Lisztian passages as the
piece progresses where this pianist shows not only his terrific technique but
also his very fine touch and clarity. He reveals all the musical lines
wonderfully, however dense the harmonies, and much poetry as well. An
impressive performance.
Prommachart reveals his ability to immediately create a
strong atmosphere here in Alexander Scriabin’s (1872-1915) Sonata No. 9, Op. 68 with a feeling of
intense brooding, revealing some wonderfully poetic moments as he carefully
builds and develops this sonata. I was particularly impressed at how he unfolds
the individual musical lines of each hand with such very fine clarity. At times
he brings beautifully limpid phrases, lovely light rhythmic phrases, quite
superb before a dynamic build up before the hushed coda.
This pianist reveals how well planned this recital is by how
perfectly the Theme - The Song of the Water-nymph
of Nicolas Medtner’s (1880-1951) Improvisation No.2, Op.47 leads from
the coda of the Scriabin. Prommachart brings fine phrasing and a sense of calm
nostalgic flow. His clarity of line is
superb. With Meditation this pianist
reveals, surprisingly, points of reference with Scriabin before bringing a
lovely light touch to Caprice with such
a stylish coda.
He conjures up the fleeting nature of Winged Dancers with lightly sprung, beautifully phrased playing
before bringing a rather improvisatory quality to Enchantment with a beautifully light and fluent coda. Despite its playful nature, his Humoresque wears a serious mask. The
rapid, rippling phrases of Mid the Waves
are very finely achieved with Prommachart bringing an exquisite touch.
Tumult of the Crowd
is beautifully built with fine clear lines leading to a terrific climax, before
a wonderfully hushed In the Forest, Prommachart
again creating a fine atmosphere. After the fast and fleeting The Sylvan, The Elves hurtles delicately forward with light touch and pin point
clarity.
The rippling, rhythmic phrases of The Gnomes are finely done before Conjuration arrives; a lovely piece that builds in drama, Prommachart
bringing many rhythmically sprung passages and moments of fine drama with rich
harmonies. The Threat continues to
bring a darker hue with this pianist finely controlling the dynamics and
phrasing, structuring the piece so well. Song
of the Water-nymph is leisurely and quiet with some lovely little phrases whereas
The Storm has some wonderfully
florid, free and rippling passages set off finely by this pianist before the Conclusion that builds to the coda.
Fritz Kreisler’s
(1875-1962) Liebesfreud, in its arrangement by Rachmaninov, proves to be a
terrific conclusion to this disc, Prommachart’s phrasing and shaping revealing every
detail with a fine rubato and control of little tempi changes as well as moments
of great fun.
This debut disc for Champs Hill reveals a pianist that has
an unerring ability to draw in the listener with performances not just of mere
virtuosity but with clarity of phrasing and an exquisite touch.
The recording is up to the usual high standards of Champs
Hill Records productions made at their Champs Hill Music Room and there are useful
and informative notes.
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