Three Russian giants in Oxford

By Roy Westbrook, 29 July 2019

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“And what a tumult Berezovsky unleashed, from a whisper to a roar”

Reviewed at Oxford Town Hall, Oxford on 28 July 2019

Scriabin, Deux Poèmes Op.32

Scriabin, Piano Sonata no. 4 in F sharp major, Op.30

Scriabin, Fragilité, Op.51 no.1

Scriabin, Caresse dansée for piano, Op.57 no.2

Scriabin, Désir for piano, Op.57 no.1

Scriabin, Trois études, Op.65

Scriabin, Piano Sonata no. 5 in F sharp major, Op.53

Rachmaninov, Piano Sonata no. 2 in B flat minor, Op.36

Godowsky, 12 Studies on Chopin's Op.10 Etudes for the left hand alone (No.1, No.6 & No.12)

Kreisler, Three Old Viennese Dances: Liebesleid (transcr. Rachmaninov)

Mendelssohn, A Midsummer Night's Dream, Op.61: Scherzo (transcr. Rachmaninov)

Tchaikovsky, 16 Songs for Children: Lullaby in a Storm, Op.54 no.10 (transcr. Rachmaninov)

Boris Berezovsky, Piano

Boris Berezovsky at the Royal Festival Hall

Sophia Lambton, 5th June

A recital of incomparable but unrelated works became a lengthy attempt to adapt tempi.

***11

Musical expressions of Pianoscope

Olga de Kort, 15th October

Friendschip, new discoveries and variety of musical expressions at the opening concert of the 10th Pianoscope Festival in Beauvais.

****1

Dvořák in Istanbul: the Borodins and Berezovsky impress

Alain Matalon, 4th June

The five musicians on stage performed just like a well-oiled machine in Dvořák's Op. 81 Piano Quintet’s devilishly tricky coda.

****1

Boris Berezovsky at Royal Festival Hall

Frances Wilson, 14th January

Acclaimed Russian pianist Boris Berezovsky opened the 2014 International Piano Series concerts at Southbank Centre with an impressive and absorbing recital of music by Debussy, Ravel and Rachmaninov.

*****

Neeme Järvi and the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Manchester

Rohan Shotton, 22nd May

Neeme Järvi brought his fine Swiss orchestra to Manchester for a deeply moving evening of Pärt, Grieg and Tchaikovsky, leaving a large audience very quiet as they left the Bridgewater Hall.Tchaikovsky wrote his Sixth Symphony amid substantial personal turmoil, despite the relatively recent success of his Fifth.

****1

Orchestre de la Suisse Romande thrills with Neeme Järvi in Birmingham

Verity Quaite, 21st May

The Orchestre de la Suisse Romande is as pleasing watch as to listen to. Under the directorship of the renowned Estonian conductor Neeme Järvi since 2012, the orchestra is clearly flourishing. From start to finish, it was apparent that the orchestra were deeply enjoying their performance and this only improved the performance itself.

****1

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Roy Westbrook

Roy Westbrook gained a diploma in music history at London University (Morley College) and was for some years the head of music day schools at Oxford University, where he also led music summer schools. After some years leading the University's business school he has returned to music teaching and writing, and recently took part in the Arts in Residence courses on Bruckner, Mahler and Bach He is co-author (with Terry Barfoot) of a history of opera, and has taught day schools on Sibelius in Oxford and elsewhere.

Three Russian giants in Oxford: Scriabin, Rachmaninov and Boris Berezovsky