Edinburgh International Festival: Nikolai Lugansky at the Queen's Hall

By Alan Coady, 16 August 2013

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Reviewed at Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, Edinburgh on 15 August 2013

Janáček, In the Mists

Schubert, Four Impromptus, D.935

Rachmaninov, Études-tableau in C major, Op.33 no.2

Rachmaninov, Études-tableau in D minor, Op.33 no.4

Rachmaninov, Étude-tableau in B minor, Op.39 no.4

Rachmaninov, Étude-tableau in E flat minor, Op.39 no.5

Rachmaninov, Étude-tableau in A minor, Op.39 no.6

Liszt, Années de pèlerinage, Troisième année: Les jeux d'eaux à la villa d'Este, S 163 no. 4

Liszt, Isolde's Liebestod from Wagner's Tristan und Isolde, transc. for piano, S 447

Nikolai Lugansky, Piano

Rhetoric over romance in Nikolai Lugansky's Chopin in Seoul

SangKwon Lee, 12th February

Ludovic Morlot conducts the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra in three classics from the Romantic era: Berlioz, Chopin and Schumann.

***11

A superb end-of-season jamboree for the Philharmonia

Christopher Woodley, 11th June

Nikolai Lugansky's barnstorming performance of Rachmaninov's Third Piano Concerto is the centrepiece of the Philharmonia's end-of-season concert.

*****

Injecting new life into iconic Rachmaninov and Elgar

Nick Boston, 29th October

The RPO, in great form under Petrenko, deliver exciting Auerbach and propulsive Elgar, with Lugansky shining bright in Rachmaninov.

****1

Singing vocal lines plus phenomenal power in Lugansky's Rachmaninov

Nick Boston, 20th March

Nikolai Lugansky demonstrates variety and depth, with lyrical melodies, ringing bells and crazy virtuosity in a captivating all-Rachmaninov recital at Wigmore Hall.

*****

The stillness of a volcano: Nikolai Lugansky in Rome recital

Elena Luporini, 16th March

Challenged with a demanding programme of Beethoven, Franck and Rachmaninov, the Russian pianist gave proof of his personal, telluric approach to intense repertoire.

****1

Chausson the surprise standout in Sokhiev's Berlin Phil concert

Phillip Nones, 25th September

Rimsky-Korsakov and Rachmaninov may be bread-and-butter repertoire for pianist Nikolai Lugansky and conductor Tugan Sokhiev, but the stellar presentation at this Berlin Philharmonic concert was Chausson's Symphony in B flat major.

****1

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Alan Coady

Alan has taught classical guitar in East Lothian schools since 1982. A graduate in Music of the then Huddersfield Polytechnic, he has a soft spot for the contemporary. He also writes a Musical Blog, where the special interest is the intersection of music/language/science.