It would be a surreal Halloween in 2025. I chose to dress up as Marioneta Negocios from Adult Swim, most curious recent offering Women Wearing Shoulder Pads. My plus one was Lady Dimitrescu from Resident Evil Village. Some concerns over dressing up and also political views in a church, would be quickly brushed aside, the Tabernacle have often been friendly and welcoming. It’s why I go back.

Seeing Connor Fogel back last year in the same venue, the through line is naturally Lizst. Connor should not be accused of micro-obsessions, as his devotion to Liszt and known ways in which the composer played, are part of this pianist branding. In this programme entirely made up from the Hungarian composer, it would be mostly arrangements of other’s work. Rossini’s Overture to William Tell is a standard, most famous for the gallop. I noted the lack of dampened pedals for extended passages, the wonderful cello solo rings out, the famous parts puffy and handled with aplomb.

Reminiscences of Lucia di Lammermoor from Donizetti is more well regarded material. I’ve personally never been wowed by this Italian composer, though Liszt takes chunks from the opera and swirls it into a marvellous patter for piano. Mozart and his Don Giovanni (though here dubbed Don Juan) got the Liszt treatment, with Connor noting Scriabin never recovered form playing this take on the opera, with a profound hand injury emerging from rehearsal. It was more dark drama, though a whisper of Zerlina’s aria would really seal the deal.

Lovely Schubert came next and Liszt usage of Ave Maria is by far the most perfumed, wispy right hand ornaments, aside your eternal melody. ‘Le roe des aulnes’ or Erlkönig was a nice touch for All Hallow’s Eve, the story gothic, the composition a highlight of Schubert’s lieder. With the singer playing four varying roles, Connor on piano braced this command with focus and lucidity. The wrap up (with no encore) was Liszt’s very own Grand gallop chromatique. Feverishly absurd in nature, the composer knew how to send audiences dazed and dazzled, Connor seems to relish playing this. It’s finality leave smiles, though I dare say a touch of Wagner next time would really seal the deal form me. It was a family affair, after all.