Larrocha Continues to Play With Style, Energy

One of the undisputed pianistic icons of the last half-century, Alicia de Larrocha might be expected at this point in her long, glorious career to rest on her laurels.

But no. As she showed again in her latest recital, in Royce Hall at UCLA on Thursday night, the great Spanish pianist, just a month short of her 78th birthday, still challenges herself, still leaps over musical hurdles and still brings high style to her broad repertory.

Music of Chopin and Spanish composers comprised the latest Larrocha survey, beginning with four masterpieces polished to a shine: the Nocturne in B, Opus 32, No. 1, the Barcarolle, the Berceuse and the A-flat Polonaise-Fantasy, Opus 61. The brief second half contained three Danzas Fantasticas by Turina and three pieces from Albeniz’s “Iberia” plus his “Navarra.” A short, sweet and musically brimful agenda, long on color, drenched in emotion, controlled in projection.

Ever mindful of the long musical line, Larrocha continues to specialize in the nuance and detail that make music speak, sing and dance. Only one other pianist in recent memory combined in his Chopin playing the utter spontaneity and perfectly sculptured profile that Larrocha produces so effortlessly; that pianist was the late Artur Rubinstein.

And what Larrocha creates when she visits her fellow Spaniards is unique: rhythmically buoyant, lyrically articulate, yet expressively wide ranging. Thursday, she brought a kaleidoscopic palette to Turina’s irresistible character pieces, wonderful mezzo-tints to “Iberia,” power and eloquence to every musical statement.