Abigail
Sin, at ten years old, is Singapore's youngest concert pianist. To date, she has
given two concerto performances and, counting this one, three solo recitals. Her
performances have received critical acclaim, and she is touted as a national asset
which Singapore needs more of - "Young talents like Abigail are vitally important
to sustain our cultural long march towards becoming a global city of the arts"
(Mr Liu Thai Ker, Chairman, National Arts Council). Indeed, Abigail is the epitome
of the bright young scholar who brims with talent and promise. She has won prizes
in Mathematics and English, as well as having achieved a standard of piano performance
comparable to that typically attained by those studying for a music degree at
the end of their first year. Accomplishments aplenty, she seems more than well
equipped to join our country's pool of artistic resources.
Abigail's character was a subject of my curiosity, her kind being so rare in our
society. Upon some researching, I found her to be full of determination for the
pursuit of excellence, especially artistic excellence. The number of performances
and her repertoire attest to her active engagement in her craft. Her self-penned
programme notes and memorized scripts added to my impression of her as a determined
and focused performer. And, while I am no authority on the proper standard for
child prodigies, Abigail's technique is impressive. Her drive displayed itself
in her playing, and her commitment to practice was self-evident. That night, the
stage of the Victoria Concert Hall was dominated visually by the minimal duo of
piano and pianist, and the atmosphere was one of serious concentration. Presentation-wise,
everything was in place. I was impressed, and rather
taken aback, by the ambitious programme. Mozart, Bach and Rachmaninoff, all in
one night and by one ten year old girl? I was not just reacting from the heavyweight
nature of the composers Abigail had chosen, but also the fact that they are all
very different stylistically, each imbued with their particular artistic eccentricities.
I was rather relieved to see the inclusion of the relatively light-hearted My
Favourite Things and March of the Siamese Children, from Rodgers and
Hammerstein's musicals, if only for the sake of the many children in the audience.
I was further impressed by Abigail's ability with the poetic and lyrical
passages, particularly in the Lizst and Chopin pieces. Technical difficulty was
no obstacle for Abigail; despite her child-sized hands, her fingers danced across
the keyboard with seemingly little effort. Her technique was matched by her musicality
and understanding of the two pieces. Regrettably, though, this was not always
the case - it became evident in some other pieces that her interpretation was
often outshone by her technical ability. Her rendering of Lizst's Liebestraume
(Love's Dreams) perhaps lacked the emotional depth that would have brought out
the complexities of the bittersweet nature of love. This, I felt, was the crux
of the piece's beauty. It was also evident in the Kreisler/Rachmaninoff piece,
Liebesleid (Love's Sorrow), that Abigail did not grapple with the wide
emotional range that is especially characteristic of Rachmaninoff's music. The
effect that I received was that of a sweet and naïve interpretation, charming
in its innocence, and unique in its rendering - perhaps something that could develop
into a distinctive style.  Unfortunately,
my premonitions about the testing nature of the programme became increasingly
justified as the night progressed. The performance of certain pieces was lacking,
both technically and stylistically. Notably, Abigail's playing of Mozart's Sonata
in D major KV 311 and Bach's Prelude and Fugue No 23 in B major BMV 892
missed the composers' points somewhat. Her playing was slightly shaky in the Bach,
where it is so important to have clear enunciation and crisp phrasing to produce
an ordered movement. Instead, the playing was messy to the ears and did not ring
with clarity. Indeed, Bach is never easy to perfect; however this could have been
a real feather in Abigail's cap if she could have just captured the spirit of
the piece. Abigail showed more technical competence in the Mozart piece, and in
some places her playing was wonderful - lively and brilliant. She was expressive
and elegant at the right parts, even though they were marred by some clumsy transitions.
My main misgiving, however, was with her flagging vigour and indifferent wit -
both detrimental to the rich dramatic style of Italian opera. Without the proper
spirit, the piece did not develop to its full buoyancy.
Abigail's
ambition has taken her far, and she has attained a degree of technical competence
over and above that of her peers. However, this very ambition may have clouded
her focus on style, which makes all the difference between a lackluster and an
interesting performer. Abigail had prepared an impressive number and range of
works, but her playing did not carry much of her personal stamp. This lack of
personal involvement in the music left the audience largely unmoved. However,
it is interesting to note that Abigail played with the verve and confidence of
a seasoned virtuoso in My Favourite Things, which was arguably the most
enjoyable piece of the evening. While Stephen Hough's transcription of the popular
children's song had transformed it into an entirely different piece - one as technically
demanding as a piano concerto - it retained the wistfully optimistic character
of the original. And Abigail glowed throughout her rendition, not only with virtuosity,
but with unadulterated joy. That moment, which flashed sporadically through the
evening, was the truly captivating part of Abigail Sin. It would be this aspect
of Abigail Sin which may be commanding our attentions in years to come.
Photos of Abigail Sin was obtained from
the Abigail Sin and Caldwell
Arts Entertainment website.
Deanne Tan sees that, while small
hands may contain big ambitions, it takes more than ambition to keep a Mozart
sonata from sounding like a Brahms' Lullaby
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