CITY HALL THEATRE *** Born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Awadagin Pratt began studying the piano at the age of six, and violin three years later. He entered the University of Illinois at the age of 16 and after graduating, continued his studies at The Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore. Here he became the first student in the school's history to receive diplomas in three performance areas, piano, violin and conducting. Winner of the 1992 Naumburg Piano Competition -- the first African-American to win an international instrumental competition -- Awadagin Pratt is increasingly hailed as one of tomorrow's superstars. Apart from an impromptu by Schubert, the first part of Mr. Pratt's programme was devoted to Beethoven.

The development of any composer can be linked most emphatically to the artists and to the instruments available at the time. The Vienna Piano which Beethoven used for most of his life has a light action and a relatively poor resonance.

It was therefore well adapted to a Classical style of playing full of pearly runs and elegant figures. This was not the language of Beethoven. He was set apart from others with a dramatic new voice. Worked to the extremes of their capacity, his pianos often suffered broken strings and shattered hammers. It was not until 1818 that he came into possession of a superior "grand'' piano from John Broadwood in England. By this time however, despite the lack of an instrument which could match his musical ideas, Beethoven had composed some of his greatest keyboard works including the Sonata in A major Opus 101, and the Pathetique Sonata in C minor Opus 13 with which Adawagin Pratt began his recital. Genius does what it must! Mr. Pratt gave the popular "Pathetique'' with its unexpected dissonances and dramatic accents, an impassioned reading. Dressed in comfortable black, and crouched on a small wooden stool, his intimate contact with the piano communicated itself with his audience and established an immediate rapport.

Whether the piano is an extension of Awadagin Pratt, or he of the instrument, is a moot point. They seem to be one.

Without regard for tonal contrast -- but who cares! -- we remained in C minor for the Schubert Impromptu which followed. The Impromptus are really songs for the piano. A master of melody, Schubert is a composer who can tear at the heartstrings. Mr. Pratt's performance, full of tenderness and that Sturm und Drang which is a hallmark of the composer, was memorable -- absolutely beautiful.

The piece which ended the first part of the programme, Sonata in A major by Beethoven, is dedicated to the composer's friend and confidant, Baroness Dorothea von Ertmann. Separated from the Pathetique by nearly two decades -- in musical terms a million light years -- the A major Sonata is, though short, the most difficult intellectually and technically of all Beethoven's later compositions in this genre. From the outset Awadagin Pratt established his mastery of this demanding work. It was a performance much enjoyed by the vocally appreciative audience.

After the intermission the programme without reference to chronology -- and this was refreshing -- concentrated on the Romantic composers and the works of J S Bach. What was puzzling, was the printed information that "The remainder of the programme will be played without a break'', and much later the word "Pause''. This was new. What it meant, as we discovered to our cost at the end of Bach's Prelude and Fugue in C sharp major, was that the pianist launched without a breath, never mind a break, straight into the key of E flat major and the first of Brahms' Three Intermezzi Opus 117. This was a bit of a shock to the system -- certainly different. It did save time however since there was no applause possible until the end of the penultimate piece.

The best composers of the 19th century Schumann, Schubert, Brahms and Chopin, Wednesday night's fare, made constant efforts to avoid the extremes of sentimental salon music, and pointless musical display. The Intermezzi, some of Brahms' most beautiful invention, and imbued with dark brooding melody, were played by Mr. Pratt with a wonderful sonority and epic sweep of phrase.

The Chopin Nocturne which followed was not the usual "B major'', but a superior relative Opus 62 No 1, and less well known. This was magical. With well marked rubato and subtle pianissimo, its chromatic colour shone.

The remainder of the evening was devoted to two transcriptions, the rather restrained Prelude, Fugue and Variation for Organ Opus 18 by Cesar Franck transcribed by Harold Bauer, and Bach's "Chaconne'' from the Partita in D minor transcribed by Busoni.

Ferrucio Busoni was an extraordinary 19th century pianist and composer. His transcriptions of Bach may not be to everyone's taste, but one cannot deny their brilliance. Orchestral in dimension, they require what Awadagin Pratt has in abundance, monumental power and virtuosic technique -- bravura flourish in a very exciting finale.

The evening ended with an encore, the musical poem "Widmung'' by Schumann.

Don't let the hairstyle fool you into thinking that he needs a fashion statement to make an impact. With or without his dreadlocks, Awadagin Pratt is a superb pianist.

Marjorie Pettit REVIEW REV