David Tong

23/06/2005
Tony Way
The Age (Australia)
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To say that David Tong is a rising star in Australia's musical firmament is something of an understatement; comets and meteors seem more appropriate images for capturing something of the mercurial temperament of this pianist who is still in his 20's. The debut recital is a good example of Tong's incredible technical prowess and his romantic ability to throw caution but not good taste to the wind. Tong obviously revels in the Herculean challenges of Liszt's first Mephisto Waltz and the Wild Hunt from the Transcendental Studies. Audaciously but satisfyingly opening the program with Rachmaninov's (revised) Sonata no. 2, Tong signals that he is ready to take his place with the best pianism that this country has to offer. Long may he prosper