MITSUKO UCHIDA fans were disappointed when the artist had to cancel her previous concert at The Sage Gateshead, but good things come to those who wait, and Uchida kept her latest date at the venue with a programme that gave full voice to her artistry.

Critics have dubbed her the High Priestess of Mozart, and not without reason. The evening opened with a sterling performance of Mozart’s Rondo in A minor K511.

Uchida’s approach was simple and unfussy. Where others may be tempted to inject their personality into the work, she got to its heart, conveying its full charm.

Romance was followed by the new, in the shape of Berg’s pioneering Piano Sonata No 1.

His Opus No 1, it was written as an apprentice piece while under the tutelage of Arnold Schoenberg. To some, Berg’s work can be baffling, but under the hands of Uchida, long a champion of the composer, it all made sense. The music offers endless opportunities, taking the listener down one avenue and offering a tantalising glimpse of its possibilities, before veering off in a completely unexpected direction. There was a sense of utter resolution to Uchida’s recital.

Then it was back to the romantic with Beethoven’s Piano Sonata No 28 Op 101.

One of Beethoven’s later works, it is more intimate and introspective. Uchida’s command of the dotted rhythms and erratic dynamics exposed the composer’s thoughts in their entirety.

The second half of the evening was devoted to Schumann’s Fantasie in C.

One of the finest examples of romantic piano music played with supreme sensitivity, Uchida gave the audience not one, but three encores, including No 2 from Schoenberg’s Six Little Piano Pieces – less than a minute long – and one of Bach’s Goldberg Variations. It was a shame it had to end.