Search - Nikolai Lugansky Recital: Janacek/Prokofiev/Liszt/Rachmaninov/Chopin on DVD

A Russian Poet

J Scott Morrison | Middlebury VT, USA | 08/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Nikolai Lugansky is a thirty-something Russian pianist, former student of the legendary Tatiana Nikolayevna, and a multiple competition prizewinner. His playing is suave, a little of the cool side, brilliant, technically secure, poetic and balanced throughout. He produces an unfailingly beautiful tone, even in a live recording like this that doesn't allow of studio retakes. His rhythmic sense is impeccable, his phrasing crystalline, limpid. His is thoughtful playing, each note considered, but there is also a sense of spontaneity as well. His manner at the keyboard is impassive, but the playing speaks expressively. These qualities perhaps combined with his movie-star good looks -- he has a passing resemblance to Colin Ferguson, the actor who plays the sheriff on the SciFi Channel's series 'Eureka' -- have made him a hot commodity in the European concert scene.

Amazon, as is their wont, has not seen fit to print the contents of this recital film, although they do provide a hardly readable image of the back of the DVD box. To help those who, like me, have perhaps inadequate eyesight to make out the program in that image, I will include the program:

Janácek: Sonata "I.X.1905" - one of Janácek's stronger piano works (far outshining, in my opinion, the much more often programmed 'In the Mist' and 'On an Overgrown Path') here given a magnificently poetic interpretation

Prokofiev: six movements (Nos. 5-10) from the ten 'Romeo and Juliet' Pieces, Op. 75 - again given marvelous performances (even though, although I typically love piano transcriptions, I much prefer the orchestral original). 'Friar Laurence' is particularly moving.

Liszt: Two movements from 'Années de pèlérinage, Italie': No. 1. Spozializio & No. 6. Sonetto 123 del Petrarca; four Études d'exécution transcendante': No. 12 Chasse-neige, No. 5 Feux follets, No. 11 Harmonie du soir, No. 10 in F minor - the Petrarch Sonata and 'Harmonies du soir' are beyond beautiful.

Rachmaninov: Prelude in G Major, Op. 32., No. 5; Prelude in G Minor, Op. 23, No. 5; Prelude in G sharp minor, Op. 32, No. 12. The G Minor prelude is given an incredibly crisp and exciting reading.

Chopin: Étude in F Major, Op. 10, No. 8 (which is actually played right after the G Major Rachy prelude and followed by the other two Rachy preludes)

This live concert from the 2008 Verbier Festival -- surely one of the premier festivals in Europe for chamber music lovers -- is a real find. I look forward to hearing Lugansky in recital when he next comes to the northeastern US.

Recommended.

Time: 77 mins; Format: NTSC 16:4; Sound: PCM Stereo; Region code: 0 (worldwide); No bonus tracks except for some trailers of other DVDs

Scott Morrison
"

Promising Russian Virtuoso!

Y. Hsu | Boston, MA | 10/28/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Very good sound and image quality. Lugansky is definitely one of the most impressive young Russian pianists. The tradition glows on him. He has daringly performed all those technical pieces tastefully in front of the most sophisticated audience. This DVD has brought his best in front of our eyes. Bravo!!"