United Kingdom Bach, Schubert, Liszt – Leeds Piano Competition 2021 Prizewinner Recital: Alim Beisembayev (piano). Wigmore Hall, 12.12.2022. (CC)
Bach – French Suite No.2 in C minor, BWV 813 (c.1722-5)
Schubert – Piano Sonata No.19 in C minor, D 958 (1828)
Liszt – Études d’exécution transcendante, S 139 (pub.1852): No.3, Paysage; No.4, Mazeppa; No.5, Feux follets; No 9, Ricordanza; No.10, Appassionata; No.11, Harmonies du soir; No.12, Chasse-neige
Alim Beisembayev was the deserved winner of the 2021 Leeds International Piano Competition – I used to be fortunate sufficient to listen to the finals in individual in Leeds Town Hall and to interview Beisembayev quickly afterwards. His Rachmaninov Paganini Rhapsody was excellent; talking with him revealed a younger gentleman of the utmost modesty. Here, eventually, is a part of his prize: a coveted Wigmore Hall recital.
The Leeds judges’ religion in him has clearly been rewarded, not least within the spectacular Liszt he gives, each stay right here, and on disc. The first half was maybe a contact much less exalted however nonetheless of a really, very excessive commonplace certainly.
We started with some Bach, the second of the French Suites, launching an all-C minor first half (presumably one motive why the Liszt C minor Etude, ‘Wilde Jagd’, was absent from his collection of seven etudes within the second half?).
Beisembayev’s Bach was characterful and fantastically projected to the again of the corridor. His sound full but able to honouring Bach’s textures, the opening Allemande suffused with French gentilité, the finger energy within the Courante in all places evident. The Sarabande, although, was the triumph, the tempo completely judged, Bach’s naked counterpoint uncooked, shot by means of with emotional ache. A light-weight-as-a-feather Air appeared the proper complement, the two-part counterpoint an absolute pleasure. The gallant appeared foregrounded within the Menuet I & II earlier than the difficult Gigue emerged as a triumph of ornament, textures pellucid, ornaments extremely tight. A wonderful account by anybody’s requirements.
The late C-minor Sonata by Schubert is an acid check for any pianist. The first motion is indicate marked Allegro – quick, and quick this actually was, which necessitated the odd gear change for expressivity. The undercurrent of nervous power was nonetheless thrilling; it was the second motion Adagio that confirmed us each Beisembayev’s strengths and weaknesses. His approach with the inner-voice hemidemisemiquaver ‘ornamentations’ completely articulated, was testomony to his consideration to element that was heard all through the recital. But the general impression was that this motion, essentially the most emotionally demanding of the 4 for each executant and viewers, stays a piece in progress, its depths solely partially plumbed. With that comes the positive information that they will come: Beisembayev is a pianist already approach past his bodily age in maturity. His Menuetto introduced a return to the quick and clear method; the finale too, had a lot to supply with very good bass staccato and a thread of power operating by means of it. Some of the best performances I’ve heard of this very sonata occurred at Wigmore Hall: Elisabeth Leonskaja and Imogen Cooper spring instantly to thoughts. If Beisembayev isn’t fairly there but, it’s clear he’s on the right track.
Unlike his Schubert, Beisembayev’s Liszt sounds prefer it has emerged absolutely shaped. The seven Études d’exécution transcendante programmed right here supplied enjoying of genius, simply as his Decca recording of all twelve (plus ‘La leggierezza’ Étude de concert, S 144/2 and the D-flat main Consolation, S 172/3). It is fascinating how Beisembayev alters his sound from one composer to a different, his Liszt wealthy and easily stunning, burnished and golden. His projection completely judged and, regardless of many fortissimi, by no means as soon as breaking the sound of the piano, this was enjoying with a agency lyrical foundation out of which excessive virtuosity might move. No accident that he opted to start out with one of many slower, extra introspective of the Études, ‘Paysage’, completely pedalled and with nice bass readability in direction of the shut. How effectively he understood the gestural nature of No.4, ‘Mazeppa’, although, the polar reverse to the legato of ‘Paysage’. He took dangers with the chords of the melody (hair-raising leaps are concerned as Liszt fills the gaps with fast packets of sound); Beisembayev’s double-octaves nearly turned the piano into an organ.
The elfin lightness of ‘Feux follets’ was in itself exceptional; layer on Beisembayev’s capability so as to add gentle and shade and to carry out a number of voices, and also you arguably have the proper Liszt. Skipping a number of etudes, ‘Ricordanza’ was essentially the most prolonged of these on provide, a mini-tone poem alongside the traces of the Sonetti di Petrarca. This was a very memorable efficiency, Beisembayev’s legato correctly vocal, supplied within the purest piano sound and with heartfelt rubato. An prolonged track with out phrases, ardent and spellbinding, this was the true spotlight of the live performance, no matter prestidigitation there might need been elsewhere.
And virtuosity there was, aplenty, to come back. The tenth etude, ‘Appassionata’ (tempo marking Allegro agitato molto, used because the identifier on the programme sheet) was fantastically articulated, upward ascents like fireworks. Beisembayev by no means sounds showy, although – there’s something of Alfred Brendel about this, albeit with, in Beisembayev’s case, better innate virtuosity. Definition at ultra-high pace is clearly a Beisembayev trait, as is an actual resonance with Liszt’s inside world. Although printed in 1852, they’ve their origins earlier. And but Beisembayev discovered actual indications of heady, metaphysical late Liszt in ‘Harmonies du soir’, unfolded on the excellent, unhurried tempo. Beisembayev let the innate glow of each simultaneity register earlier than the ultimate ‘Chasse-neige’ supplied shimmering stillness, its descending scales dripping down and stretching throughout the timeline to extra Impressionist composers.
Just one encore: Chopin’s Nocturne in B, Op.9/3. An completely beautiful second half; and his recording of the whole Liszt Études on Decca is not going to disappoint both. If Beisembayev continues like this, who is aware of what he can go on to attain …
Colin Clarke