The most dazzling thing about the dazzling recital Russian pianist Denis Matsuev gave at Koerner Hall on Sunday evening was how he managed to be an artist for every sort of audience member.
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
Lovers of pianistic fireworks were given one of the most spectacular displays of technical prowess mixed with brilliant playing we’ve seen since, well, the last time Matsuev was in town a couple of seasons ago. And he didn’t appear to even break a sweat in the process.
People looking for deep, sensitive artistry were rewarded by the sight — and delicate, diaphanous sound — of this big bear of an ex-hockey player from Siberia gently caressing the gleaming concert Steinway bathed in golden light.
Fans of Romantic and late-Romantic piano music had a gorgeous assortment of pieces by Peter Ilytch Tchaikovsky (1840-1893) and Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943) to savour.
Audience members seeking something a bit more astringent could marvel not only at Matsuev’s technical mastery of Igor Stravinsky’s own piano transcription of three movements from his 1910 Petrouchka ballet score, but in the pianist’s magnificent shaping of the score.
The word awesome has been overused to the point of meaninglessness. If it wasn’t, it could apply to everything Matsuev did on the Koerner Hall stage on Sunday.
Thanks to Show One productions, Torontonians have had the opportunity to experience this tremendous performer with orchestra and alone one stage now. I think he was at his most impressive alone, in that golden circle of light, showing us exactly what it means to be a great artist.
The technical ability to play anything is a basic requirement in today’s hugely populated and competitive art music world. But turning heaps of notes into gorgeous music is — and always will be — an elusive art.
Matsuev began the programme gently, quietly inviting us to sit down and listen as he told us a story or two. Well, 12 of them, actually, as Tchaikovsky took us through all the months of the year in The Seasons.
Matusev treated these miniature tone pictures as precious objects, showing off the composer’s craft with great love and care.
The Seasons wasa first-half warmup for the technical feats to come, two Préludes by Rachmaninov, two more pieces by Tchaikovsky and then the fearsome Stravinsky, presented in a crescendo of bravura that, no matter how many notes Matusev was pounding out per second, never descended into a gaudy show of fire for fire’s sake.
The capacity audience was loud and unambiguous in its adoration — and Matsuev deserved every shout and every bouquet of flowers.
Now let’s hope he can come back again soon.
John Terauds
- Classical Music 101: What Does A Conductor Do? - June 17, 2019
- Classical Music 101 | What Does Period Instrument Mean? - May 6, 2019
- CLASSICAL MUSIC 101 | What Does It Mean To Be In Tune? - April 23, 2019
