THIS was the 21st annual memorial concert for the late Olive Dobson whose generosity enabled the Wesleyan chapel to buy the Yamaha concert grand used here.

Renowned French pianist Jean-Efflam Bavouzet was making his third appearance here and his programme consisted of the last three Beethoven sonatas, which the programme notes rightly described as the supreme peaks of the genre.

There was a large television screen above the piano for those who like to see the pianist’s finger work (and a little of his pedalling).

Though published with separate opus numbers, the three sonatas were written at the same time and, while utterly distinctive, there is a sense of unity about them making them ideal for a recital, if somewhat challenging for the pianist.

Bavouzet certainly has the measure of them with an attention both to the detail and the overall span.

In Op. 109 he showed a superb sense of dynamics; his finger work was most impressive in the faster passages but his softer playing was unbelievably delicate.

Op. 110’s slow movement began almost eerily before becoming deeply thoughtful and philosophical but always maintaining a flowing line while Op. 111 was quite magnificent with every detail of phrasing, rhythm and touch carefully considered in a sublime performance.

In an unexpected encore, he paid a touching tribute to the late Pierre Boulez with three very brief Notations (Nos. 7, 8 and 9), highly concentrated pieces with No. 9 ending on an air of mystery.

Peter Bevan