L'hommage rendu à Stephen Kovacevich à la Philharmonie

By Alain Lompech, 17 October 2023

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“Son piano est d'une beauté inimaginable de toucher”

Reviewed at Philharmonie de Paris: Grande salle Pierre Boulez, Paris on 15 October 2023

Schumann, Violin Sonata no. 1 in A minor, Op.105

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 31 in A flat major, Op.110

Debussy, Violin Sonata in G minor

Debussy, Cello Sonata in D minor

Debussy, Lindaraja, for two pianos, L 97

Debussy, En blanc et noir

Stephen Kovacevich, Piano

Martha Argerich, Piano

Géza Hosszu-Legocky, Violin

Edgar Moreau, Cello

A feast of phenomenal pianism

Frances Wilson, 8th October

A remarkable evening of exceptionally fine pianism and inventive programming, featuring seven of the UK's leading pianists in rich and varied repertoire.

*****

Blanc et noir: pianistic contrasts from Kovacevich and Argerich

Mark Pullinger, 2nd November

A packed audience congregated in Wigmore Hall’s temple to pay homage at a very special concert in which Martha Argerich joined Stephen Kovacevich to mark his 75th birthday.

****1

A mixed offering from Kovacevich in Dublin

Andrew Larkin, 24th September

An effective Bach, a disappointing Brahms and a generally satisfactory Schubert: Kovacevich fails to grip in Dublin.

***11

Stephen Kovacevich plays the "three Bs" in Birmingham

Peter Marks, 14th March

Though born in America, Stephen Kovacevich has lived in London since moving there to study with the great Dame Myra Hess at the age of eighteen. He clearly has a special rapport with British audiences, as his amiable manner in discussing his encores demonstrated.

***11

Scaling the heights: Sydney Symphony play Beethoven and Strauss

Oliver Brett, 17th February

Beethoven was certainly not afraid of breaking traditions. He broke several long-held Classical traditions in his Piano Concerto no. 4, and no break was more revolutionary than beginning a concerto with the solo instrument. It was in this way that the Sydney Symphony Orchestra under Vladimir Ashkenazy opened their latest musical offering at Sydney Opera House.

****1

Au TCE avec Stephen Kovacevich sur les chemins du Wanderer

Alain Lompech, 12th April

De Brahms à Schubert en passant par Beethoven, le pianiste de 85 ans a proposé un voyage d'une éloquence folle, sans jamais hausser le ton ou forcer l'auditeur à le suivre.

*****

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Alain Lompech

Pendant trente ans, Alain Lompech, né en 1954, a été critique musical et journaliste au Monde de la musique puis au Monde, dont il a été chef des pages « Art et Spectacles » puis chef d'édition, tout en tenant la chronique « Jardins » du quotidien. Il a produit de nombreuses émissions sur France Musique, station dont il a été le directeur adjoint et chef des programmes, et où il est l'un des membres réguliers de « La Tribune des critiques de disques ». Il publie chaque mois des critiques de disques dans le mensuel Diapason. Alain Lompech a publié le premier volume des Grands pianistes du XXe siècle, chez Buchet-Chastel, et travaille à la rédaction du deuxième volume.

L'hommage rendu à Stephen Kovacevich et à la musique à la Philharmonie