Perahia makes his long-awaited Australian debut with grace, style and aplomb.

Concert Hall, Sydney Opera House, November 1, 2013

Murray Perahia, the American pianist who has never made a bad recording, finally reached Australian shores in November, playing solo concerts in Sydney and Melbourne. In Perahia’s 40-year career he has concentrated on the central repertoire, constantly refining his interpretations of Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert, Schumann, Brahms, Chopin and, more recently, Bach. On stage his manner is formal and self-effacing, as distant as you can imagine from the YouTube sensations of today, which is not to say Perahia lacks virtuosity. His mentor Vladimir Horowitz taught him that to approach the greats, first you must master the virtuoso repertoire – and what could be more challenging than the finale of Beethoven’s Appassionata?

Bach’s French Suite No 4 opened the recital (a work Perahia is about to record). His Bach does not imitate a harpsichord: it is fluid, nuanced and subtly coloured. As with the Romantics, Perahia turns every lyrical or melodic moment into a song through expertly weighted phrasing, thoughtful pedalling and subtle changes of dynamic. He can also be forthright, pinging out the fugal lines of the concluding Gigue.

Even so, the power...