The stars were aligned. Cellist Pieter Wispelwey and pianist Piers Lane harnessed Elisabeth Murdoch Hall’s exceptional acoustics to create a scintillating performance of three stunning cello works in the first of their three-part recital series.

Both have a strong personal connection with the Hall. Lane selected the Recital Centre’s pianos and performed at the Centre’s opening night; and Wispelwey said in a recent interview that “the golden aura” fed by the acoustics made it his favourite concert hall.

Pieter Wispelwey. Photo supplied

Night I of the duo’s three-part Melbourne series featured sonatas by Prokofiev and Shostakovich, with the first of Benjamin Britten’s three cello suites spliced in between them. Nights II and III have a similar format, with the Night II featuring classical sonatas (Schubert and Mendelssohn), and Night III devoted to French ones (Chopin and Franck).

The program opened with Prokofiev’s three-movement sonata in C major.  The range of tones and colours they evoked gave the music a fresh and dynamic edge. Moments to relish included the dramatic opening on the cello’s lowest string and Lane’s elegant interpretation of the charming second theme...