Last Friday, I attended a performance of Chopin's Piano Concerto No 2 in F minor given by pianist Garrick Ohlsson and the Wroclaw Philharmonic Orchestra , conducted by Jacek Kaspszyk. The concert was presented at the Cerritos Center for the Performing arts in the City of Cerritos, a suburb of Los Angeles. The program also included Lutoslawski's Mala Suita and a rare performance of Schoenberg's orchestral transcription of Brahms' Piano Quartet No 1, Op 25. The performances were first rate. Ohlsson's performance of the Chopin concerto would have eventually been considered legendary had it been recorded.It displayed all of the traits that he is noted for--Informed pedaling,voicing and phrasing, (the music breathed) variety of touch,a singing tone and superb control of dynamics. Yet the music critic of the Los Angeles Times,Mark Swed, and the Orange County Register, Timothy Mangan deigned not to attend. What an abrogation of professional duty.

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