For her latest Australian tour, that doyen of current Bach interpreters Angela Hewitt has chosen to present The Art of Fugue for the first time in her distinguished career. Initially concerned that at the end of his own career Bach had written something dry, or even boring, Hewitt has resisted the urge to explore the 14 contrapuncti that make up the work until now. And even so, she has decided to spread the experience over her two programs – thus is you want to catch it all you’ll need to sign up for a double dose a couple of weeks apart.

She began her first Sydney concert in contemplative tone with a transcription of the chorale Nun komm, der heiden Heiland by the great German pianist Wilhelm Kempff. From the outset she demonstrated the beautifully weighted, even playing for which she is renowned, permitting herself a little more rubato than perhaps you might expect from her recordings – a nod perhaps to Kempff’s own more romantic style. The Siciliano from the E Flat Flute Sonata, made a delicate, pastoral contrast, with just a hint of melancholy before the bravura transcription of the Sinfonia from Wir danken dir Gott made a...