Great pyrotechnics from the twenty year old Alexander Doronin and astonishingly mature musicianship.
A recital at Steinway Hall for the Keyboard Trust in the presence of his teacher Dmitri Alexeev -the second time this week that I have seen the Alexeev’s following the career of super talented young musicians in their care . https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2023/03/06/victor-maslov-at-leighton-house-masterly-playing-of-intelligence-and-poetic-vision/
Together with star pianist Vitaly Pisarenko they were there to follow these early steps in what surely will be an important career.
The clarity and chiselled precision suited perfectly the neoclassicism of Stravinsky (1924 not the earlier youthful effort as mistakenly on the programme ) or the diabolical streams of notes that Ligeti like a spider’s web would trace with such glee over the entire keyboard.
It was the same precision and intelligent musicianship that he brought to the two early works by Brahms.A clarity that missed Brahms’s sumptuous orchestral sonorities but gave it a refreshingly youthful rhythmic impetus of great conviction .
It was however in the Berg Sonata that he found the magical sonorities that brought the ingenious knotty twine of this early masterpiece vividly to life.A superb performance that just showed what glories await his full maturity on graduation amazingly still two years off.

A short conversation with Leslie Howard discovering news of his early studies at the Gnessin school in Moscow for super talented children.And now perfecting his already extraordinary professional talent with a Master as in the class of Dmitri Alexeev at the RCM.
His artistry will bloom under the guidance of the ever generous Alexeev’s as Sasha’s magnificent youthful Ferrari will turn into a magical carriage full of a kaleidoscope of gold and silver gems.
Meeting the artist afterwards with all the guests is a highlight of these very special occasions.

Together with the ever generous Wiebke Greinus and her colleagues at Steinways.And ,of course,with the genial Leslie Howard passing from Aida to Grainger at the touch of a hat -(Mario’s!) showing us the sumptuous colours that are hidden in the magnificent instruments on display.

A glass of wine in hand and good relaxed conversation together with the star of the evening,Alexander Doronin.The cockles of our hearts were truly warmed on one of the coldest nights of the year.