Beethoven Piano Concerto No. 4 with Maestro Asher Fisch and the Nashville Symphony Orchestra

Jayson gave three performances of Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 4 with the Nashville Symphony under the baton of Maestro Asher Fisch. A review in a local paper gives a vivid account of the reaction to his performance.

The highlight of the performance, for my money, was Gillham’s performance of Beethoven’s magnificent Piano Concerto No. 4 in G major. Tall, lanky with a thick top of sandy brown hair, the 29-year-old Gillham looks like a young Van Cliburn. His playing — serious, stylish and sensitive — calls to mind a young Murray Perahia. No doubt, this impression was partly due on Thursday night to Gillham’s sparing use of pedal, which produced lean, clean melodies throughout the concerto. It was also due to his inherently lyrical approach to this music, even in fleet-fingered, virtuoso sections.Gillham and Fisch were of one mind in their interpretation of the Beethoven concerto, which made for a fine, cohesive performance. They approached the concerto’s fantastic slow movement, surely the most dramatic utterance in the entire concerto repertoire, like a Greek tragedy. Pathos and passion were everywhere. Gillham launched into the quick finale with gusto, and keeping up with him must have been like chasing a jackrabbit. To their credit, Fisch and the orchestra flew in tight formation with this soaring soloist.

Read more of the review here