JANINA FIALKOWSKA, PIANO, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, Feb. 9

Few pianists play with the kind of self assuredness and effortless virtuosity of Janina Fialkowska. Her musicality and technical mastery is superb and her pianism outstanding. A wonderful exponent of the romantic literature, Fialkowska brings her innate interpretive skills to bear in her interpretations of this music.

Fialkowska made her Virtuoso Series debut Thursday playing the music she knows best: Schubert, Liszt and Chopin. The exquisite lyricism and profound depth of her interpretations were on display in one of the most fascinating piano recitals to be heard in Salt Lake City in a long time.

The Canadian pianist opened with Schubert’s seldom played Sonata in A major, op. 120. Her wonderfully nuanced account underscored the gorgeous lyricism of the work, and her playing was finely crafted and phrased.

The first half concluded with Liszt: first a transcription of a Schubert waltz (Valse-caprice No. 6), then an original piece (Bénédiction de Dieu dans la solitude) and finally three transcriptions of songs by Chopin (Zyczenie, Wiosna, Narzeczony). In each piece, Fialkowska showed she has the power to give Liszt his due. Her virtuosic playing was nicely integrated into the musical fabric; nothing was superficial and everything was carefully planned and articulated.

The Bénédiction is not an easy piece, even for Liszt, because of its intricately subtle melodic line but Fialkowska brought out the eloquence of the melody with her polished and nuanced playing.

The second half was devoted to a set of Chopin pieces: the Polonaise, op. 26, no. 2; the Scherzo No. 4; three Mazurkas (op. 7, no. 1; op. 30, no. 1; op. 50, no. 3); and the Scherzo No. 1.

This was some of the best Chopin one could ever hope to hear. Fialkowska played these pieces with a transparency that allowed the delicately carved lyricism and subtle expressions to come through.

As an encore, Fialkowska gave a lilting account of Chopin’s Waltz in C sharp minor.