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Emigre Pianist Alexander Toradze Dazzles Carnagie Hall
| Article
# : |
11093 |
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Section : |
THE ARTS
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| Issue
Date : |
3 / 1986 |
858 Words |
| Author
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Michael Davis
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On Wednesday evening, January 22, Russian pianist Alexander Toradze made his appearance as part of Carnegie Hall's Keyboard Virtuosos Series. The thirty-three-year-old pianist defected to the United States in 1983, and this was his Carnagie Hall recital debut.
Mr. Toradze had previously appeared in concert with the New York Philharmonic during that orchestra's 1984-85 season, but unfortunately the unfocused acoustics of Avery Fisher Hall made it difficult, if not altogether impossible, to judge his work in the demanding Third Piano Concerto of Sergei Prokofiev. The acoustics of Carnegie hall (surely the best hall in New York for sound) provides the listener with a more correct acoustical environment in which to hear any artist, so the opportunity to hear Mr. Toradze perform again was most welcome.
This year marks the one-hundredth anniversary of the death of Franz Liszt, and like many other pianists who have recently given recitals, Mr. Toradze selected a composition by the Hungarian master to begin his program. The Variations on a Theme of Bach ("Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Sagen") was published in 1863 and is based on the beautiful passacaglia theme from Bach's Cantata No. 12. The variations date from Liszt's religious period and the composer eschews his more characteristic virtuostic style, favoring instead a more contemplative and introspective approach in dealing with Bach's theme. Mr. Toradze's performance suited the composer's intent well, as he sought to bring the spiritual qualities of the music alive in the long meditative episodes, while giving the more sonorous passages their due with a rich, full-bodied tone. The pianist seemed to be deeply committed to this music, and in fact appeared to be almost prayerful while
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