Press
12. 06. 2010
Building Bridges across the Ridge
Russian Orchestra Works of the 20th Century became Audience Favorite
..... The Symphony Orchestra Basel's Concerto in D (1946) by Igor Stravinsky (1882-1971), with its often suspended texture roughened by odd measures, was followed by the final highlight of the evening, the Piano Concerto (1946) by the practically obscure Galina Ustvolskaya (1919-2006), who furiously resisted the regime until the very end of her life. The soloist, Belgrade-born Anika Vavic, is not only an attractive person, but also an enormously talented pianist. She approaches the brilliantly structured and instrumented work with its unique idiom without respect, rises to the challenge of the virtuosity and vitality it demands, but also illuminates the pensive lyricism of the central solo cadenza beautifully, taking all the time in the world to do so. The composer's deep religiosity is palpable in the finale, when brief melody particles are repeated between solo piano and orchestra, resulting in a meditative and archaic endless loop. A fantastic discovery for the concert hall!
Translation : Alexa Nieschlag
[ original article ]