Concert Review: Stravinsky-Gergiev II
The Russian Stravinsky: A Philharmonic Festival, Avery Fisher Hall
New York Philharmonic-Valery Gergiev, Conductor Chorus of the Mariinsky Theater-Andrei Petrenko, Principal Chorus Master
May 5, 2010 Symphony in C-Capriccio for Piano and Orchestra-Petrushka (1911)
I have increasingly become fond of Petrushka, and it's wonderful to have heard the complete score performed so magnificently. As previously, the orchestra played with high voltage and great flair under Gergiev.
No more need to be said except that the soloist Dennis Matsuev almost stole the limelight. This is one BIG-toned pianist, infallible, with a great rhythmic sense and swagger. Despite its jazz inflection, Cappricio can sound rather tame on records but this team brought it to life. I first took note of this pianist in his famous "Unknown Rachmaninov" CD, played on the composer's own piano, and available in the HKPL. It's worth searching for.For more info, read the NYT review. For other concerts in the series, see Part I of my review.
It's too bad I could not get tickets for the last program in this series, as much for the Rite as for a chance to hear another star, pianist Alexei Volodin.
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