It is 10.40 pm, on August 9th, and the audience are leaving the Elie de Brignac Concert Hall after the last recital of this beautiful 13th edition of Août Musical.
“So wonderfull!” was the most commonly heard comment, or “I wish it had lasted longer!” or “Eight long months before the Easter Festival! Everybody is talking, the public have come in large numbers tonight, many did not attend the other concerts.
As soon as the concert starts, the audience are overwhelmed by emotions as Bruno Philippe (cello) and Guillaume Vincent (piano) play one of Robert Schuman’s Phantasy . Then Guillaume stays alone on stage, with Frederic Chopin. He plays two scherzos, then some preludes. The pianist radiates such energy, such élan, his body makes one with the keyboard, there is no holding back and the audience, astounded by the notes racing at the speed of a thoroughbred, holds their breaths. They stand, clap their hands and shout “Bravo!” There are many encores, so Guillaume plays pieces by Liszt and Rachmaninov. When he leaves the stage, he is visibly moved and ….we need the welcome interval to recuperate.
This soloist leaves no-one indifferent, comments such as “so much spirit!”, “what dynamism!”, “how formidable!” prove it beyond doubt.
Ouest France, August 2014.