Arcadi Volodos plays Schumann's Fantasie in C

When Arcadi Volodos burst onto the scene in the 1990s, he won legions of fans, critical acclaim, and prestigious awards not only for his famously superhuman technique—certainly in the top handful of pianists with virtually no technical limitations—but also for his thoughtful mobilization of that technique in the service of a larger artistic project. His artistry has only deepened in the intervening years, during which he has continued to release rapturously received albums—but apart from a legendary solo recital at the Vienna Musikverein in 2009, his performances have almost never been officially filmed. We're honored to share a precious rare video recording of this unique virtuoso, under the moonlight at Paris's Fondation Louis Vuitton: the diabolically difficult, breathlessly romantic Fantasie, written with Clara in mind and described by the composer as "the most passionate I have ever composed." In the hands of Arcadi Volodos: sheer pianistic poetry.

Photo: Arcadi Volodos © Marco Borggreve
Arcadi Volodos appears courtesy of Sony Classical.