“…a natural virtuoso…an extraordinary talent.” – A. Delle Vigne, Mozarteum University, Salzburg. https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2020/11/28/aquiles-delle-vigne/

A standing ovation for Ruben Micieli at the end of a concert dedicated to Chopin. Not only a celebration in Chopin’s 215th birthday week but also the news that Ruben has been selected to go to Warsaw as part of the Chopin competition selection process. Performances of subtle beauty and mastery that began with the whispered beauty of the D flat nocturne. Ruben allowed Chopin’s bel canto to cast a spell as you might expect from a young musician born in the shadow of Bellini in Catania. Beautiful hand movements of grace and beauty the same as in one of Chopin’s most beautiful creations. A whispered veiled sound world of ravishing beauty.

Masterly performances of the first and third ballades showed off this young man’s superb musicianship with performances of aristocratic authority and sensitivity. Great delicacy mixed with nobility, brilliance and passion in the G minor Ballade.A tone poem of so many emotions played with extraordinary intelligence and poetic sensibility.The A flat Ballade had a fluidity as it’s continuous outpouring of song was played with a kaleidoscope of colours.Embellishments that were jewels that glowed with knowing beauty as the Ballade moved with a masterly build up to the final ecstatic goal. A fearless plunge across the keys brought this most pastoral of Chopin’s Ballades to the noblest of conclusions.

The last six of Chopin’s 24 preludes flowed with a natural fluidity from the mellifluous nineteenth where the melody was allowed to float on Aeolian harp strings belying the technical feats that are required. The imperious twentieth of restrained grandeur was played with ever more whispered echoes of extraordinary barely audible delicacy as the twenty first entered with flowing aristocratic poise. The imperious bass octaves of the twenty second rang out with a noble voice of commanding authority. Chopin’s own jeux d’eau just flowed from Ruben’s well oiled fingers like water in a brook that was to take us to the heroic outpouring of passionate glory with the final twenty fourth. Played with fearless abandon but like all that this young man did it was imbued with the poetic musicality which is at the very heart of Chopin’s music .

Canons covered in flowers is how Schumann was to describe Chopin Mazurkas and it was this subtle poetry and beguiling sense of dance that Ruben brought to his op 24 n.4 .

It was followed by the E minor study op 25 that too was imbued with a sense of dance and fantasy until Chopin was to fill the central episode with one of his most magical tenor melodies accompanied by washes of notes of gossamer lightness. Superb playing of ravishing sounds that gave a glowing radiance to a historic Bechstein that has rarely been asked to bequeath such beauty.

The final two works on the programme included the third Scherzo where Ruben played the commanding octaves with a musicianship that shaped all that he did. Dissolving so naturally into a chorale that was accompanied by filigree notes where delicacy and fragility gave a warmth to the solemn beauty of the chorale before erupting into a coda of transcendental exhilaration and excitement .

But it was the genial invention of Chopin in his final year combining fantaisie to the polonaise and which Ruben described as his vision of life and death where fragility is complemented by passion . A masterly performance of the Polonaise – Fantaisie where Ruben was able to give an architectural shape and nobility to one of Chopin’s greatest creations .

After such profound performances of poetic mastery Ruben surprised us with Fazil Say’s jazzed up version of Mozart’s Turkish March . Played with technical wizardry and not a little showmanship it brought the audience to their feet in appreciation .

Back to Chopin for a second encore with the Revolutionary study that was played with extraordinary clarity and passionate intensity .

Pianist ,conductor, and composer, Ruben Micieli has won prizes in numerous international competitions since his debut in 2017, and has performed in concert halls and theaters across Europe and Asia, including Teatro La Fenice in Venice, Salle Cortôt in Paris, Weimarhalle, Palau de Musica Catalana in Barcelona, Steinway Hall in London, Xiao Ke Theater in Beijing, Recital Hall in Hong Kong,   and Sala Solitär in Salzburg.

He has recorded albums for NAXOS, KNS Classical, A2DV Generation (featuring the complete Chopin Études), and IMD Music. His album Verdi & Bellini – Paraphrases de salon for NAXOS will be released in 2025.

In 2025, he will make his debut at the Berlin Philharmonie.

Programme:

Homage to Chopin

Nocturne op. 27 n. 2 

7 Preludes op. 28 no. 19 to 24 

Mazurka op. 24 no. 4 

Etude op. 25 n. 5 

Ballade op. 23 no. 1 

……………

Ballade op. 47 no. 3 

Scherzo op. 39 no. 3 

Polonaise – Fantaisie  op. 61 

Ruben Micieli triumphs in London for the Keyboard Trust at Steinway Hall
https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2023/04/20/ruben-micieli-triumphs-in-london-for-the-keyboard-trust-at-steinway-hall/

César Franck illuminates Roma 3 ‘Che meraviglia’
https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2023/05/08/cesar-franck-illuminates-roma-3-che-meraviglia/