POTSDAM -- More than 200 people spent a snowy evening at Snell Music Theater recently to see Peter Ritzen, composer and concert pianist.

A native of Belgium, Ritzen is an acclaimed interpreter of Franz Liszt and Theodor Leschetizky, and has cooperated as a soloist with many well-known orchestras and ensembles across Europe, Asia and the US. His contact with Chinese Culture has resulted in a whole repertoire of his own China- inspired compositions, including transcriptions of Chinese folk songs. Potsdam was one of four stops on his United States/Canada tour.

Ritzen led his audience on a veritable “Spiritual Odyssey” as he explained the background of each composer and the inspiration behind each piece. From the tranquility of Bach’s “Jesu, Joy of Man’s Desire,” to the tempestuous Third Movement of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata,” from the majestic grandeur of Cesar Franck to the meditative interiority of Franz Liszt, all were impressed by Ritzen’s finesse of interpretation and ability to engage his audience. Improvisation, one of Ritzen’s specialties, was an art new to many of the auditors, and it was most interesting to hear how a line from the Credo of a Mass could be reworked and embellished. His last piece, the Andante Finale for the left hand by Theodor Leschetizky, brought the crowd to its feet.

The nearly two hour concert ended with three encores, including Brahms’ four-hand Hungarian Dances 1 and 5, accompanied by Dean Michael Sitton of the Crane School of Music. Many young audience members were more than enthusiastic about the concert and rushed to buy a CD and have it autographed. Several music professors were also present, and they remarked that Ritzen’s interpretation of the works was “personal,” “brilliant,” and “moving.” At the end of the concert, when he entered the lobby, Ritzen was greeted with a chorus of “Happy Birthday”—he turned 60 that day.