28 October 2009 - Alexei Grynyuk at 1901 Arts Club

When I go to piano recitals there are two things I initially focus on.  One is accuracy and the other is dynamics.  Accuracy is the ability to transfer a composers' work onto the keyboard.  To me it is extremely important - all music should reflect exactly what the composers created and intended.  Dynamics are what make a performance interesting and enriching.  It is vital for musicians to be able to play subtly when it's supposed to be subtle, fiercely when it's supposed to be fierce and so forth, to create significance and expressions to whatever they are playing.

Well, I can assure you that Alexei Grynyuk has both.  First, He played Schubert's Sonata in A Major, No 20 D959.  At the very beginning, I felt the chords were a bit too choppy for my taste, but I soon realised that it was his interpretation and style, and he is not one of those pianists who heavily depend on pedals.  The arpeggios in triplets that followed were gorgeous - his fingers almost glided across the keyboard.  My favourite movement of this sonata is the finale, Rondo Allegretto.  It is most melodious and lyrical, I just love it.  The main theme is almost identical to the second movement of the Sonata in A minor D537, which I also like.  Alexei played it to my full satisfaction - I cannot verbalise this very well, but it was like the music had its own life and floated around us.  I would have closed my eyes and got myself indulged in it, but I didn't because I couldn't keep my eyes off his fingers!

His second piece was Saint-Saens' Danse Macabre, arranged by Lizst and Horowitz.  You can imagine anything arranged by Lizst and Horowitz requires highly technical skills, and this was no exception.  Alexei presented incredible finger work, precise and powerful.  This was followed by two short works of Lizst, Sonetto del Petrarca, No. 104 and one of his etudes, La Campanella.  Both were stunning.  La Campanella was originally Paganini's beautiful Violin Concerto No.2.  Liszt is an amazing genius who transcripted this orchestral work into piano music.  I don't know how anyone can play this piece - the right hand's constant octaves were exhausting just to watch.  But again Alexei played it beautifully.  I think it is so easy for any pianist to focus on the technical difficulties of this piece.  Alexei's playing was much more than pure technical work - I particularly liked it when the main melody shifted to the left hand while the right hand still busily worked octaves in pianissimo.

I am very happy to have recruited him to perform next year for you at our Soirée in January.  No doubt he will amaze our audience!

Incidentally, I can also recommend the venue, the 1901 Arts Club, shown in the photo on the right.  This intimate Victorian building hidden by Waterloo Station hosts the Hattori Foundation's Rush-Hour Recital Series which are particulary convenient and fulfilling for Surrey commuters.