Lucas Krupinski at the The Chopin Society UK with playing of radiance and glowing beauty. A mastery of the pedals that made Anton Rubinstein’s words come vividly to life as never before .
From the very first notes of Busoni’s Chaconne with a beautiful fluidity and a vast range of colour and whispered counterpoints that erupted into the passionate outpouring of a fervent believer . From barely audible sounds to an overpowering exuberance of Philadelphian sonorities, never hard or ungrateful but under the same sonorous umbrella that shielded Lukas from all but sublime beauty.
Nobility and fragility with a wondrous sense of balance living together under the same architectural roof of the great Gothic cathedral that Lucas constructed with such mastery . Bathed in pedal like a halo glowing brightly above this Steinway that I have never heard sound so beautiful.
It was the same radiance that he brought to Chopin’s F major Nocturne that made it shine every bit as beautifully as its more famous twin. Even the tempestuous middle episode grew out of these subtle opening sounds of delicacy and demonstrated how glowing radiance can suddenly turn into a storm. No accents or hard edges but a great wave of sounds that overwhelmed and reached the very soul of Chopin.
It was interesting after the concert to hear the ‘tittle tattle’ about Chopin from such an expert as Lady Rose Cholmondely who when provoked regaled the Perahias with unexpected knowledge about Chopin the man,who had a great sense of humour , like Mozart, and would send humorous scribbles to his friends. https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2024/10/20/posk-chopin-festival-2004-mak-dubiel-pawlak-swigut-a-feast-of-music-and-full-immersion-with-lady-rose-cholmondeley-and-prof-john-rink/
Fascinating information , from the President to the Honorary President, often overlooked by more serious musicologists but that fascinated Murray and he wanted to know more – Lebrecht eat your heart out !
The Chopin nocturne had created just the atmosphere for Scriabin’s smouldering ‘Fantasie’ played with beautiful fluidity and a kaleidoscopic range of colour with insinuating counterpoints bubbling over in a cauldron of emotions as Scriabin’s turbulent search for the ‘star’ reached boiling point, before lying exhausted at our feet.
This was truly a world that Lucas understood with diabolical ravishment of the senses and the decadence of a world of extraordinary turbulence .
It was the same colour he brought to the much earlier Preludes op 11 . Twenty four in all the keys obviously inspired by Chopin . Lucas played the last twelve with innocent subtle colouring and short lived outbursts where Scriabin’s turbulent vision of the world had not yet taken hold of his whole being . Played with exquisite colouring and an extraordinary range of character that showed us a demi monde rather than a complete one, that can require too much from the listener to really appreciate as we did today, these jewels shining brightly from a chest of true gems.
‘Ich ruf zu dir Herr Jesu Christ’ opened the second half and this most beautiful of all Bach’s organ preludes was played with the same glowing beauty that I remember from the much missed Nelson Freire. A beauty where surely the melody was sent by the angels and just emerged on earth with the radiance of a true believer. https://christopheraxworthymusiccommentary.com/2021/11/02/nelson-freire-rip/
The last work was the Chopin Fantasy that started with a strange staccato first note that was a bit disconcerting . Chopin marks staccato on the first notes but surely it means more marcato or detached but with the weight for such a noble opening. The reply was of such delicacy and beauty that nobility and order were immediately restored in a masterly performance that risked occasionally to be over pedalled. But this was the world of an artist who was prepared to risk all for beauty and the love that is inborn in a fellow countryman
The waltz in C sharp minor op 64 was played with that subtle rubato that Rubinstein meant when he said that talent cannot be taught but you are born with it .
https://youtu.be/gex0sOR7XZ0?si=h8VauAFO-aVD7PCn
A gentle whispered ‘Arietta’ by Grieg was the only way a true artist could finish such a recital of intimate music making. Grieg’s Lyric pieces were much loved by Rubinstein but all too rarely heard in the concert hall.
Hats off to Lucas for sharing such beauty today in the presence of Murray Perahia the greatest and much loved pianist of our ( all) time .
ChristopherAxworthy-MusicCommentary 