Poise and confidence filled Le Poisson Rouge on Sunday night as pianist Kirill Gerstein performed pieces by Brahms, Knussen and Liszt.
Nearly every seat was filled for the concert by a generally white-haired audience, something of a surprise for a venue that usually enjoys a younger crowd. Nonetheless, the bustling energy of Gerstein’s playing lent itself to a robust performance.
“It’s first class Brahms as always,” said an amiable Gerstein of the first piece, Brahms’ Paganini variations. The piece, a maze of technique and expression somewhat uncharacteristic of Brahms (although characteristic of Paganini), was well-suited to the café setting. The slower variations introduced the audience to the rare level of Gerstein’s expression, a hint of what was to follow in the Liszt.
The night’s second piece, Ophelia’s Last Dance by Oliver Knussen, was a stark contrast to the Brahms and the Liszt. “It’s a very beautiful, mellow piece that walks between centuries,” Gerstein told the audience, noting Debussy as one of the influences. The performance was well executed but the piece itself seemed Debussy without Debussy’s charm.
But Liszt’s Sonata in B minor, a giant in the piano repertoire, stole the show. Gerstein has performed this sonata numerous times and it appears on his latest album on the Myrios Classics label. “The text has been the same since 1853 but to me… the piece changes,” Gerstein told Examiner.com. “It’s me as a viewer that’s changing.”
True to his recording, Gerstein’s jazz-tinged sense of rhythm dominated the piece. His masterful use of the pedal made for tasteful phrasing in each of the movements, most notably in the second and slowest movement.
Aside from several moments in the first movement during which Gerstein’s clarity was lost in the fray of the competing right and left hands, the sonata as a whole spanned the full range of the performer’s artistry. The sentimental moments had Le Poisson Rouge leaning in for more and the bombastic chords in the last movement caused the room’s pulse rate to jump up a few beats.
In the course of the night, Gerstein filled the shoes of both café pianist and virtuoso performer. His versatility is unquestionable.
Gerstein will perform Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1 on Tues. Wed. and Thurs. nights as he makes his debut with the New York Philharmonic. After his performance at Le Poisson Rouge, New York is eager to hear the pianist again.
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