On Wednesday at Geffen Hall, Lim played in the spotlight as if he'd been doing it for decades, with such imperturbable calm and eloquence... it was hard to believe that two and a half years ago he was essentially unknown.
Lim's playing never feels seething or sweaty; he seems like he has all the time in the world, without ever giving a sense of showboating or indulgence.
The slow central Larghetto was achingly poised, its 10 minutes framed by two perfect notes, both A flats: the first deep and softly buttery, the last a pinprick of starlight.
In the finale, he exuded graciousness, attentive to details of touch, as in a passage whose texture moved swiftly from silvery to steely without ever losing smoothness.
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