Standing Ovation and Four Encores

by Wolfgang Lohmiller

Russian virtuoso pianist Yuri Rozum captivated the Bad Salgau audience on Sunday.

Bad Salgau – The Russian pianist Yuri Rozum received tumultuous applause from the audience at his recital on Sunday in the Hall at Bad Salgau.

From the opening Mozart Sonata in C Minor, the pianist created a mood of suspense, combining a skilful keyboard technique with extreme lightness of touch in his playing. In the Barcarole (a Gondelier’s Song) from the Seasons cycle by Peter Tchaikovsky, each new stroke of the gondolier was recognisable in the slowing, then raising of the tempo: the boat setting off, then slowing down and finally, as the arpeggios grew ever quieter, disappearing into nothingness. Equally vivid were the three pieces from Tchaikovsky’s Nutcracker Suite: a lively March, a graceful Dance of the Sugarplum Fairy and an undulating Pas de Deux.

After the interval came six Preludes by Russian composer Alexander Scriabin (1871-1915), reminiscent of Chopin’s pieces for musical salons: dreamy, with strong rubato (Op.11, No.5 in D Major), elegant (No.8 in F Sharp Minor), or dramatic and explosive like No.20 in C Minor or No.4 in E Minor.

Of equal note was the Prelude for the Left Hand (Op.9 No.1 in C Sharp Minor), in which the two strains of melody were clearly accentuated.

Sonata No. 4 in F Sharp Major by the same composer progresses seemlessly from the dreamy Andante (described in the publicity material as a “Tristan-Sehnsucht” or yearning reminiscent of Tristan), to a jazz-like, virtuoso “Prestissimo volando”, which anticipates the later, modern creative period of the composer.

Music by Sergei Rachmaninov formed the final part of Rozum’s official programme. Although this composer lived from 1873 to 1943, his music belongs wholly in the realm of romantic impressionism, strongly characterised by its richness of tone and virtuosity. In the Etude tableau in E Minor, Rozum succeeded brilliantly in bringing out the flowing melody over the thunderous accompaniment. Rozum followed the swirling Prelude in F Minor (Op.32 No.6) and lyrical Prelude in E Major (Op.23, No.6) with the famous Prelude in G Minor, whose highly rhythmical, even provocative, beginning was interrupted by a dreamily voluptuous central section.

With the swelling Prelude in B Major, Rozum brought his performance to a magnificent close.

The audience rewarded the masterly performer with a standing ovation and were in turn rewarded with four encores: from Frederic Chopin, a brilliantly executed waltz, a virtuoso Fantasie-Impromptu and the Etude in D Minor, in which Rozum’s skilful pedal technique was a wonder to behold, as his swift alternation of the pedals prevented any unpleasant reverberation. With a Hungarian Rhapsody by Listz, the artist once more demonstrated his complete virtuosity.