Evgeny Kissin

He is my favorite pianist. I haven’t gone so far as analyzing his playing on various works and composers, but whatever I hear, I like. His Chopin mazurkas are great, as are his Chopin preludes. Just today though, something somewhere else made me cruise over to that Verbier Festival site ( I think I posted this somewhere else around here too) and watch him play the Brahms Op. 118. The no. 2 is something I have up here on the site, along with John Robson and a couple others. But…and I never thought I’d say this…I’m not crazy about Kissin’s rendition, here. Yes, he plays very sensitively with a beautiful tone, as always, but this is too slow. I always thought the piece to bit long to begin with. I’m sure like everything; it’s all a matter of opinion. If you want to watch him play the Brahms, Chopin, or Schubert here is the link: http://www.medici-arts.tv/# go to July 30th. It's really nice.

 

I saw Kissin perform last night with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. It is the first time I have seen him, and I was very excited about it. He played Brahms Piano Concerto No. 1 in D minor. My report on his playing can be summed up in one word - Wow! He was great! I didn’t hear a single slip. He watches the conductor intensely when he’s not playing but also as he plays. He and the orchestra were perfectly in sync.

He’s uninhibited at the piano – loose, free, and moves around quite a bit as he plays. You can tell that the music comes out of his whole body, not just his fingers. And he’s taller than I thought and very trim. He has a habit of running his fingers through his hair when his hands come off the keys and also checking his cuff-links. He wore black tails with white bow tie and looked very debonair.

He played two encores, which surprised (and thrilled) everybody. The first was Chopin’s Scherzo in B-flat minor Op. 31. Wow! Oh my God. Perfect! He used the soft pedal on all those opening triplets, and then exploded on the next couple measures. His runs sounded not humanly possible as they were so delicate and fast. And the end was just amazing. His power and strength is beyond words. My husband has heard me ‘try’ to play this one many years ago. After the piece, he whispered to me, “So that’s how it is supposed to go. It's too hard for you.”

Kissin’s second encore piece was Brahms Waltz in A major – Op. 39. no. 15. It’s that short, sweet lullaby that probably all of us have played before. What is weird is that I was just thinking about this piece the day before when I was sleeping and thought I would polish it up and record it. Then I hear Kissin play it. I’m so glad he played this, because at least I can say that I can play something almost as well as he does.

One more thing – I saw Brian (bclever) at the concert. Brian - feel free to add your impressions, here.

 

Interesting. I was going to ask you about those seats. I guess they would be fine if it is just a piano concert (recital). I could see that it would be hot up on the stage, so I'm surprised that Kissin didn't seem to have sweaty fingers. And no, I heard no 'grunts' from the conductor. (that's funny)

 

I saw Evgeny Kissin perform a solo concert yesterday afternoon. I had been looking forward to the day for a long time because I missed the last time he came here to play solo.

He played only music by Prokofiev and Chopin. The first half was the Prokofiev, and the pieces he played were:

1. Three Pieces from Romeo and Juliet, Op. 75
“Juliet the Young Girl,” “Mercutio,” and “The Montagues and the Capulets” (I’ve been humming that tune ever since)

2. Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-Flat Major, Op. 84 - I am not qualified to offer up any critical comments on this, but it sure was some piece! I wasn’t crazy about the first movement, but the second was very beautiful and the 3rd movement was incredible.

After the intermission came Chopin, beginning with the Polonaise-Fantasy in A-flat Major, Op. 61. Beautiful! Next came three mazurkas. I am currently working on the Op. 30 set, and the first mazurka he played was Op. 30, No. 4 so I was thrilled and glued to every single note! I so much enjoyed watching him play it. Kind of like listening to one of my CD’s but there he was right there in front of me! I also inwardly groaned, because after hearing him play it, I now know how much more work I have to do on it. Next was Mazurka Op. 41, No. 4 and then op. 59, No. 1.

After the mazurkas he played 8 etudes. They were: Op. 10 nos. 1, 2, 3, 4, 12 and Op. 25 nos. 6 and 11. Really great playing, as expected. My girlfriend kept shaking her head in wonderment, and I heard people around me muttering things like, “Wow”, “Jeez”, “Oh Man”, “Unbelievable”.

Then it was encore time. First encore – I nearly cried because he played my very favorite nocturne, Op. 27, No. 2 - OMG, so beautiful!

After that, two more Prokofiev pieces, or was it three? Now I can’t recall. They were pretty short, but fiery and exciting. I know the last one was the March from The Love of Three Oranges (another tune I can’t stop humming).

I heard two or three ‘smudges’ but that’s it, and in general I enjoyed the entire concert. He played to a full house, and wore a classically styled black tuxedo with tails. He changed after the concert, which I know because I was lucky to get some photos with him. I’ve posted them in the General Forum under “post your pictures”.

p.s. I saw Brian again, so Brian - got anything else to say about the concert?

 

You would have loved “The Montagues and the Capulets”. I've never heard it on a piano before, but he really made it work! That booming left hand - I thought a piano string was going to snap.

And now - thanks a lot for making me remember that tune, Alfonso, because now it's stuck in my head again.

 

Yes - Robert, you must get a ticket. And you're right about his technique. I watched his hands very closely and I still can't figure out how he produces certain sounds. Especially the way he plays some staccato notes. And the speed of his fingers playing runs is mind-boggling. No matter what, I'm sure I could never get my fingers to move so fast!

Alfonso - does that mean we will hear your recordings of those two pieces or is that a joke? I don't know that music at all. And thanks for the tip about the blog and Kissin in Chicago. Interesting. I should have stuck around longer, maybe would have followed him into the restaurant. haha

 

Can I come?

(Then again, those 'Roman' hands and Russian' fingers.) (get it? :wink: )

 

I hope you are not saying that he married his mother? :shock: That's not good.