Denis Matsuev plays Beethoven, Rachmaninov, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev
In Recital at Carnegie Hall
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Cast
Denis Matsuev — Pianist
Program notes
Declared a “virtuoso in the tradition of Gilels, Richter, or Horowitz” (Los Angeles Times), Denis Matsuev pays a visit to Carnegie Hall’s Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage for a recital program as demanding of technical prowess as it is of interpretative sophistication. He performs works by Beethoven, Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, and Prokofiev.
The evening begins with one of Beethoven’s early piano sonatas, a work brimming with the tempestuous virtuosity for which the young pianist-composer was best known at the dawn of his career. Rachmaninoff’s Variations on a Theme of Corelli follows, an ingenious piece that anticipates his dazzling Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini for piano and orchestra. Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 dramatically combines harmony, rhythm, texture, and figuration to create a cohesive tonal narrative that is, expressive yet technically complex. Tchaikovsky’s Méditation is a short yet powerful work composed just after his haunting “Pathétique” Symphony near the end of his life. Prokofiev’s gripping Piano Sonata No. 7 closes the evening with music touched by the dark days of World War II.
Photo: Denis Matsuev
