'Phew - just finished. Fabulous recital from the Barbican by Vengerov and Roustem Saitkoulov - catch it on iPlayer if you missed it! Schubert and Beethoven in part 1, Ravel, Ysaÿe, Ernst and Paganini in part 2, with 3 encores - 2xKreisler and Massenet (Thaïs Meditation). There were murmurs of disbelief in the hall during the eye-watering Ernst Variations on the Last Rose of Summer (which Vengerov told Martin Handley he'd been playing since he was 10), and the lovely Paganini I Palpiti Variations made a fine finish to the formal programme. I fist heard Vengerov 20 years ago, and went to his Barbican recitals in 2002 or so - I've got several of tonight's pieces inc. the encores on recordings he made in the early 90s. His playing just gets better and better. MV told MH that "tonight was quite a heavy evening"




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