THE third in the Millennium Concert Series promoted by Pallant House, Chichester and West Dean College in Singleton took place in the Edwardian library of West Dean College last Saturday.

The distinguished local pianist James Lisney gave a recital of music of the romantic age.

Playing on the college's Bluthner piano, which admirably complemented the elegance of the setting, Lisney chose a major romantic sonata as the main work in each half of his programme.

In the first half this was Beethoven's Op. 110 in C minor, no. 31; his last major sonata.

This complex and intimate work received an authoritative performance. James Lisney clearly has a passion and affinity for this music that came out both in the performances and in his introductory remarks.

Before the Beethoven James Lisney played four extracts from the first book of the Années Pélérinages by Franz Liszt.

Only the first of these, Chapelle de Guillaume Tell, a homage to Switzerland's most famous legend, contained passages suggesting the bombast commonly associated with the composer.

The remaining excerpts, the charming Au Lac de Wallenstadt, the quiet Pastorale and the delicate Au Bord d'une Source all reveal a much gentler and more reflective Liszt.

The second half of Lisney's programme was dedicated to Chopin, the main work being

the Sonata in B minor. This work comes from Chopin's later period, after 1840, when he had more or less abandoned the violent, direct emotional statement in favour of a more reflective, expressive style.

James Lisney gave this cheerful and technically demanding sonata a suitably sunny performance, right through to its optimistic vigorous finale.

The other works in the second half were Chopin's two Op. 55 Nocturnes in F minor and E flat.

For his encore James Lisney sprang a surprise by stepping back from the romantic period and playing the aria from the Goldberg Variations as homage to the 250th anniversary of the death of Bach.

Sadly there was no printed programme, evidently at the request of the performer, and although Lisney introduced all the items with wit and erudition some in the large and enthusiastic audience were unable to hear everything he said.

But this quibble apart, this was a most enjoyable and rewarding recital.

The next concert in this series is a harpsichord recital to be given at Pallant House by David Pollock, the overall director of the series,tomorrow (Saturday).

The next concert at West Dean College is a recital of baroque music by the Parnassian Ensemble on April 1.

Peter Andrews.

The Herald Arts page is where you'll find reviews on a wide range of drama and music each week.