Master classes by Russian virtuoso

Piano Festival 2011
Yuri Didenko
Sala Isouard

Not new to local pianists and teachers, Russian pianist Yuri Didenko recently performed at the Sala Isouard. This is no ordinary pianist as besides being a much sought-after teacher and performer, he is well grounded in one of the greatest Russian piano-playing traditions whose torch-bearers include Feinberg, Merzhanov and many other names which have passed into legend.

Prof. Didenko exudes an aura of strength and vigour and retains a certain control of aspect which is mixed with intensely felt outpourings that make the notes melt in his hands. He launched into Chopin’s unusual Nocturne in C minor, Opus 48, No.1. It is rather turbulent for a nocturne, in fact it goes beyond the normally accepted parameters of the genre, especially in its very virtuoso passages which make it feel and sound more like one of the Ballades. The exciting performance which included some very tender and unmistakably Chopinesque touches was followed by an equally arresting performance of Chopin’s Scherzo No. 1 in B minor, Opus 20. This too had a mix of even more stormy and turbulent passages relieved only too briefly by the occasional lyrical and deceptively calm passages which are just the lull before the storm, the last such passage preceding the very virtuoso coda.

There was almost no fire and dash in the lovely Three Intermezzi, Opus 117 by Brahms which followed the Chopin pieces. Not that the fire had left him but these late and very introspective “autumnal” works, while being considered by Brahms as lullabies to his sorrows, show some of the vigour and spirit he was still capable of in some passages of the third Intermezzo in C# minor. In this set Brahms really shows himself at his most tender and that was the immediate impression Prof. Didenko projected when he performed the first Intermezzo (in E flat) and continued this exercise in bitter-sweetness in the second Intermezzo (in B flat minor) continuing in the third one briefly broken by the outburst referred to above.

The concert ended with Variations on a Theme of Paganini. That violin wizard’s theme from his Capriccio No. 24 has lured many a composer to write variations of it. Joining the growing list is Russian composer’s Alexander Rosenblatt (b. 1956) with a long set of them. There is of course a very contemporary ring to these variations of which there are many. I tried to keep up pace with the pianist as he rapidly went from one to the other with unflagging clarity. Yet I had to give up but still reckoned there were close to 20. Even before one got wiser after the event by finding out that Rosenblatt is very keen on jazz, many of the variations in this pre-1990 work revealed this very clearly because of their jazzy nature. Other variations were just a little more formal, others had a distinctively blues flavour, while all without exception made things as difficult as possible to the pianist, hurdles he disposed of with greatly decisive and energetic determination. After this feat he conceded two encores by Rakhmaninov: one of Preludes and the Elegy.

Prof. Didenko’s presence in Malta was thanks to the initiative of Maltese pianist Alexei Galea, who studied in London, Oxford and Moscow. Prof. Didenko conducted yet again a series of master-classes, absolutely free of charge to various Maltese piano students. It would indeed be very hard for students to take part in such master-classes without having to pay a considerable fee. Mr Galea appealed for more support from sponsors so that this experiment should survive and continue. The series also includes lectures for piano teachers, students and all music-lovers. It aims at promoting our young pianists and to provide them with tutors of Prof. Didenko’s stature, being as he is a prominent member of the teaching staff at Moscow’s State Conservatory.

This laudable effort deserves every support, therefore anybody interested in sponsoring and/or supporting this initiative is kindly requested to contact Mr Galea by phone on 7951 0579 or e-mail: alexeigalea@hotmail.com