A thrilling Waldstein caps Igor Levit's return to Wigmore Hall

By Mark Pullinger, 17 September 2020

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“impetuous, volatile, its narrative told with garrulous excitability”

Reviewed at Wigmore Hall, London on 16 September 2020

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 1 in F minor, Op.2 no.1

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 12 in A flat major, Op.26

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 25 in G major, Op.79

Beethoven, Piano Sonata no. 21 in C major "Waldstein", Op.53

Hersch, Trees

Igor Levit, Piano

Igor Levit brings Beethoven and Rzewski to Carnegie Hall

Kurt Gottschalk, 22nd January

Levit introduced the theme at such a clip that one couldn't help but worry about the marathon of musculature he had in front of him, but he persevered, playing with a precision that was almost alarming.

*****

Tremendous energy and engagement from Igor Levit at Wigmore Hall

Patrick Maxwell, 22nd September

Igor Levit brings a well-considered programme of Schubert, Schumann and Chopin to London in a performance of commitment and subtlety.

****1

Percussive Prokofiev and titanic Shostakovich from Levit and Sternath

Mark Pullinger, 4th April

Igor Levit champions his young mentee Lukas Sternath in a joint Wigmore Hall recital culminating in Shostakovich's own transcription of his Tenth Symphony.

****1

Budapest Festival Orchestra sprinkles fairydust over London

Roy Westbrook, 11th March

Story time with Uncle Iván as the BFO plays music from the ballet Cinderella to crown an all-Prokofiev evening.

****1

Subsuming virtuosity: Igor Levit at Carnegie Hall

Edward Sava-Segal, 12th January

Igor Levit's Carnegie Hall programme evolves into a journey through interconnected musical worlds, revealing unexpected parallels and contrasts.

****1

Levit and New York Phil principals in double concertos

Edward Sava-Segal, 30th May

In a subscription performance supposed to yield no surprises, Igor Levit makes his own mark in Shostakovich.

***11

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Mark Pullinger

Mark has been a Bachtrack editor since 2014. He is also an experienced critic, writing hundreds of reviews for the site, as well as a freelancer writing for other magazines and newspapers. He also writes programme notes and blogs on Substack. Mark has a particular passion for the operas of Verdi as well as Russian and French repertoire. Outside the concert hall and opera house, Mark enjoys cooking and travel and is probably at his happiest let loose in a French patisserie or a Viennese coffee house.