Rapt Brahms from philosopher-virtuoso Volodos

Franz Schubert: Piano Sonata in A minor, D.784
Johannes Brahms: 3 Intermezzi, Op.117
Franz Liszt: Sonata in B minor

Arcadi Volodos piano

22 June 2012, Royal Festival Hall, London

***************

Anyone who has encountered the Sony recordings of Russian virtuoso Arcadi Volodos will know what an imposing musical personality he is.  But for London audiences he is only just starting to make regular appearances.  He started with a smooth and fluid Tchaikovsky First Piano Concerto in 2010 with the Leipzig Gewandhaus Orchestra at the Barbican.  However Tuesday's recital displayed the full range of his wares.  

Arcadi Volodos

The Schubert Sonata D784 is a bleakly beautiful piece and right from the start Volodos cast an immediate spell which only the most determined coughers in the audience could resist.  He is unafraid of playing quietly and slowly, inviting the listener to enter his sound world, slow to his heartbeat and philosophise with him. 

The Opus 117 Intermezzi proved the genial highlight of the recital - classic Autumnal Brahms.  Volodos took a very broad and introspective approach.  It might have dragged.  Instead it was riveting. What oceans of rich tone he conjured from the piano, even at low dynamic levels.   The instrument purred and glowed and Brahms' full textures were lovingly guided and piled up.  Masterly.

The Liszt Sonata would have benefited from a firmer grip on the overall arc of the work.  Volodos pulled the dynamics around a lot, disturbing the underlying pulse and emphasising its tendency to feel episodic.   But what pianism!  Volodos has the kind of dynamic range which most pianists can but dream of.   His bass chords could be massive fortissimo eruptions or hushed and ominous intrusions - evoking dusty, windswept grave-yards.  Even at pace and volume he never played through his tone.  There were no rough edges in this sound-world.

Want to know more about this highly individual and prodigious artist?  Look no further than his astonishing 2006 Liszt disc on Sony with the Vallee d'Obermann and his own arrangement of the 13th Hungarian Rhapsody.  Technically, Volodos is the rare type of pianist for whom the phrase "super-virtuoso" is made.  Combined with his intensely personal and original musical vision he is, at 40, a musical talent to follow with great interest.   

Peter O'Byrne

Mariss Jansons cancels conducting lecture

Leading conductor Mariss Jansons was due for a double of events at London's Barbican Centre last weekend.  On Saturday 12 May an all-Strauss concert with his Concertgebouw Orchestra Amsterdam, and on Sunday afternoon 13th a conducting lecture/masterclass.  

However, ill-health meant the interval at the Strauss was longer than normal and then at 10am on the Sunday those like me that were to attend the lecture received this email: 

"Thank you for booking tickets for the Mariss Jansons and Peter Blaha Conducting MasterClass at LSO St Luke's today at 3pm. Owing to the indisposition of Mariss Jansons it has been necessary, at very short notice, to cancel this event."

For those who know Janson's medical history, the word "indisposition" is certainly not code for "had a heavy night".  Jansons father, Arvids Janssons, died of a heart attack while conducting an orchestra and Mariss Jansons himself also had a heart attack back in 1997 while directing La Boheme.  Jansons is both the very greatest conductor before the musical public and the most fragile.  May he have a speedy return to health.