Piano Piece Op.118/1, Op.118/6

The Intermezzo, which opens 118, is a passionate and
tender Allegro. There is no middle section here. The theme is stated in
different forms in two sections, which are both repeated. There is a brief
sinister coda. The final work is extraordinary. In E flat minor, it begins with
a dream-like sequence of shifting harmonies. We are not far from the world of
impressionism and Debussy here. The middle section is more extroverted with
cascading octaves and syncopated rhythms. The opening material returns for a
dark, uneasy conclusion. At one level
these works may seem simple but here is a great composer, with unrivalled
knowledge of both the classical and romantic traditions, using all his skills
acquired over a lifetime of study, performance and composition, to create
works of astonishing depth and grandeur.