Khatia Buniatishvili - Fri 25 Feb 1pm

[Pianorak]

Friday, 25 Feb 2011 - 1.00pm
Radio3 Lunchtime Concert

Khatia Buniatishvili (piano)

Bach, transcr Liszt Prelude and Fugue in A minor, S462
Chopin Piano Sonata No 2 in B flat minor, Op. 35
Beethoven Piano Sonata in C minor, Op. 13 (Pathetique)

Expect the unexpected.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OrIHCftz-DU&NR=1

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C-1tdeht2wU&feature=related

[gradus]

That Mephisto Waltz is quite something, reminded me of Cziffra and the Ondine was extraordinarily atmospheric, in a blind test I doubt that I would have identified these two performances as the work of the same pianist.
She polarised views on here the last time she gave an R3 recital so it will be interesting to see if anything changes.

[Pianorak]

. . .She polarised views on here the last time she gave an R3 recital so it will be interesting to see if anything changes.

I just hope she'll stick to her guns and not turn into another excellent but bland interpreter.

[amateur51]

That Mephisto Waltz is quite something, reminded me of Cziffra

If only!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKP4SFailRM

She's certainly a speed merchant, a powerful one too and I know that she can play beautifully also, but for me there is insufficient integration of the various sections, and so it becomes very tiring to listen to. For me it's the difference between a play through and a performance - a work in progress I guess.

I very much want her to get better - she has oodles of talent - I suppose I'm waiting for the artist to appear.

Here's hoping we see signs of that today

[amateur51]

I just hope she'll stick to her guns and not turn into another excellent but bland interpreter.

Two sides of the same coin, pianorak

Here's hoping!

[Pianorak]

. . . I very much want her to get better - she has oodles of talent - I suppose I'm waiting for the artist to appear.

Here's hoping we see signs of that today

I'm sure she'll get even better - and yes, she can be a bit of a speed merchant.
BTW the 25th is next week.

[amateur51]

I'm sure she'll get even better - and yes, she can be speed merchant.
BTW the 25th is next week.

I knew that!

I knew that!

Thanks, pianorak!

[amateur51]

Well I listened to today's recital.

And on iPlayer.

The Bach/Liszt was ok

The Chopin sonata was bitty, sectionalised and over-pedalled - the last movement was all-pedal I think, which can work but needs to be much better controlled than KB's performance; and the slow movement only woke up in the loud bits. A poor performance. Work in progress (I hope)

And then poor LvB's sonata - oh dear.

I am gutted, but not surprised

[Pianorak]

Amateur - you're right on the money. Nothing to add, except I felt she wanted to prove she could do piano and pianissimo - which got a bit monotonous and of course she had nowhere to go once a pp was called for because she had been there all along. Unless my radio was to blame? Work in progress - one hopes.

[gradus]

Well I heard the last movt of the Chopin, a piece I find it difficult to get to grips with in any case and Khatia didn't help. The Beethoven sounded like she wanted to get it over and done with but I enjoyed her Chopin study 'encore' from another concert. The recital or what I heard of it, didn't sound to me like a musician enjoying the music.

[Peter Katin]

Well I heard the last movt of the Chopin, a piece I find it difficult to get to grips with in any case and Khatia didn't help. The Beethoven sounded like she wanted to get it over and done with but I enjoyed her Chopin study 'encore' from another concert. The recital or what I heard of it, didn't sound to me like a musician enjoying the music.

I agree - the Chopin finale sounded like a hasty jumble of ill-prepared notes and the rest of it wasn't much different. I'm glad the encore showed that she can play musically - so why doesn't she?!

[Mark Sealey]

Not intending to hijack this thread, honestly… if you only listen to one thing from today's output, make it Khatia Buniatishvili playing Liszt's Liebestraum in A flat – Notturno at 00:01 minutes past the start of In Tune for 2011-07-05 - like everything else in the programme. Seriously, her passion and delicacy are breathtaking.

[Pianorak]

Not intending to hijack this thread, honestly… if you only listen to one thing from today's output, make it Khatia Buniatishvili playing Liszt's Liebestraum in A flat – Notturno at 00:01 minutes past the start of In Tune for 2011-07-05 - like everything else in the programme. Seriously, her passion and delicacy are breathtaking.

Mark - many thanks for that. Matchless performance!
Cf. BBCiPlayer start: 1:03:00.