What a day in Padua today with the recital by Vitaly Pisarenko at the Circolo di Padua for Agimus and the KCT. After the poetic recital of Luca Buratto in the morning another astonishing performance from Vitaly Pisarenko in the afternoon.
A masterly lesson in control,colour and musicianship. After even more interesting performances of Haydn E minor sonata and Schumann Fantasiestucke than that heard only a week ago in London we were treated to a transcendental performance of the nine Etudes Tableaux op 39 by Rachmaninov. An electric atmosphere created by the beauty of his Schumann ,where already in the coda one could feel that rare atmosphere created when the artist,music and audience become one. Such was the atmosphere created for one of the most beautiful performances of Rachmaninov imaginable. The incredibile control of sound in the second study almost defied belief as the music disolved into a whisper but with a sense of balance that allowed the melodic line to shine above a shimmer of accompaniment. Never has the famous number 5 in E flat minor sounded so noble and desperate. The menace of the “Red Riding Hood” study had us sitting on the edge of our seats . And this was a discerning,aristocratic audience in an exclusive private club totally unused to surrendering itself to this sort of seduction. The transcendental virtuosity of the final study had people on their feet craving for more. After so much insistent applause poor exhausted Vitaly pulled out of thin air a most magical ,yearning early melody by Rachmaninov .A piece,incredibly, he tells me he learnt in two days especially for this concert. I doubt that such magic will be experienced for a long time to come but will live on for many a year in the memory of those lucky enough to have been present today. Lovely to see so many pianists in the audience too … and here seen withLeonora Armellini and her distinguished pianist- teacher mother.