COMMAND AND PANACHE

Russian pianist Rustem Kudoyarov,
heard by Mary Isaac

Rustem Kudoyarov gave pleasure and joy with his art of extrovert performing (on Sunday evening 14 November 2010) at London's Wigmore Hall.

Rustem Kudoyarov arrested the attention with dark-sounding chords in low register over the notes BACH: Fantasia and Fugue on the Theme B-A-C-H by Franz Liszt. Certainly Kudoyarov created a colossal imaginative effect that engaged the listeners.

This was followed by Robert Schumann's Exercises in the Form of Free Variations on a Theme by Beethoven. These Seven Studies based on a theme in the form of variations from Beethoven's Seventh Symphony (second movement) were played with great sensitivity. An innate sense of style and a keen imagination were strongly in evidence in this performance. It made this listener think and meditate.

Coming to Beethoven: the Piano Sonata in F minor Op 57, 'Appassionata'. Rustem Kudoyarov started playing with even more fervour. One could feel and see Beethoven's character 'with the massive jaws firmly set, the upturned eyes, the visage lined by suffering'. A mighty dramatic performance. Kudoyarov gave, towards the end of the sonata, a very welcoming voice of deliverance. 'The spirit has freed itself.'

After the interval, we heard two Russian composers: Scriabin and Prokofiev.

During the Fantasy in B minor Op 28 by Alexander Scriabin, a mystical impressive atmosphere was created. The native Russian pianist, Rustem Kudoyarov led the listener into a new musical language with his artistic intuition; a wide range of keyboard colour and an impressively powerful technical command and panache.

Listening to Prokofiev, four selected pieces from Op 12: March, Gavotte, Prelude and Scherzo, were played in such a manner that one could hear a percussive style blended with lyrical elements.

Finally Sonata No 7 Op 83 in B flat, in which Rustem Kudoyarov shaped an impression of tensions and aspirations of the time. The powerful dynamism and the precipitous rhythmic sweep of the first movement re-create emotional disturbances. Rustem Kudoyarov took the audience into each individual composer's life with fascinating characterization and effortless virtuosity.

Rustem Kudoyarov

The audience applauded enthusiastically, and Rustem Kudoyarov closed his recital with two encores.

COMMAND AND PANACHE

Russian pianist Rustem Kudoyarov, heard by Mary Isaac

Russian pianist Rustem Kudoyarov,
heard by Mary Isaac