Pianist Premieres Argentine's Work

By Ken Keuffel Jr., FOR THE INQUIRER
Posted: May 24, 1994

A lot of hype surrounded pianist Sandrine Erdely-Sayo's American premiere of Juan-Carlos Sedero's Lyrical Suite on Sunday at the Ethical Society. Most of it was unjustified.

The French-born Erdely-Sayo, who in 1990 came to Philadelphia to study at the University of the Arts, was one of several pianists who received the Argentine composer's seven-section score. The taped performance she sent back to the composer so impressed him that he chose her to give the world premiere last summer in France. Sedero was in attendance at Sunday's performance, too.

Both Erdely-Sayo and Sedero hope that the performance of Lyrical Suite (and the other works on Sunday's program) will air on television in Argentina and other South American countries; two camera people moved up and down the aisles taping the performance. Unfortunately, the cameras became a loud, distracting intrusion.

Erdely-Sayo, a fine and promising young pianist, often plays in a passionate, electrifying manner. The Lyrical Suite, whose sections take such titles as "Tenderness," "A Dream" and "Ecstasy," amounts to little more than serious fluff, and its flowing, pleasant melodies resemble those heard in the background of a hotel bar. Another listener at Sunday's concert thought one of the pieces sounded like the theme music to a game show. In short, the piece was below Erdely-Sayo's talents.

SANDRINE ERDELY-SAYO, PIANO

Performed Sunday at the Ethical Society, Rittenhouse Square. No additional performances.

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