Greytown Music Group Concert  

Pianist Richard Mapp returns to Greytown on 13 September, as part of his tour taking him from Nelson to Kerikeri, with five other concerts in between. If the Wairarapa is still at Covid level 2 when the concert takes place, the audience will be limited to allow for social distancing.

For this concert Richard has put together four of his all time favourite works, pieces he learned many years ago but has seldom performed since. He says “Haydn’s Variations in F minor are one of the most beautiful and imaginative creations!”  Schumann considered his Fantasy in C major to be the best music he had ever written – the greatest outpouring of his love for Clara Wieck, who eventually became his wife.  

Richard says “I learned Liszt’s Benediction de Dieu dans la Solitude after hearing the great Claudio Arrau play it in a recital, and think it is one of Liszt’s finest works.”  The final work, Beethoven’s Sonata in A flat Op.110, was performed by Richard in his very first Chamber Music NZ tour in 1975, which had a gruelling schedule of 22 concerts in 24 days. This all certainly sounds like a piano recital not to be missed.

Richard retired from his position at the NZ School of Music in Wellington about 2 years ago, and is now enjoying a more peaceful life in Nelson, expanding his musical horizon by joining a choir, doing some teaching,and attending events at the wonderful Nelson Centre for Musical Art. He says he loved the lockdown, and got back to riding his bike as there was almost no traffic in Nelson. He took part in the first public concert after lockdown, “Emerge”, a sell-out concert by many local musicians.

Richard Mapp – Solo Piano:  4pm Sunday 13 September at 57 Wood Street, Greytown. Admission $25 for adults, $10 students. Phone Ed and Juliet Cooke on 06 304 9497, or email them on efjac@xtra.co.nz, to reserve a seat.