Lugansky and Petrenko inject new life into iconic Rachmaninov and Elgar

Nikolai Lugansky & the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
© Andy Paradise

Nikolai Lugansky (piano)

Vasily Petrenko (conductor)

Royal Philharmonic Orchestra

7.30pm, Sunday 29 October 2023

Royal Festival Hall, London

★★★★

Lera Auerbach (b.1973): Icarus

Sergei Rachmaninov (1873-1943): Piano Concerto No. 2 in C minor, Op. 18

Encore -

Rachmaninov: Prelude in G sharp minor, Op.32 no.12

Edward Elgar (1857-1934): Symphony No. 1 in A flat major, Op. 55

Vasily Petrenko, Nikolai Lugansky
& the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra
© Andy Paradise

Auerbach:

'Auerbach packs in the drama, opening with slapping basses and racing cellos, then propelling us through Icarus’ dramatic rise and ultimate fall'.

'... the star of the show ... was Lydia Kavina on theremin, its eery, otherworldly presence gaining increasing presence, building to its terrifying fall through several octaves'. 

Rachmaninov:

'... in the first movement his percussive projection cut through the thick orchestral textures, yet this never felt aggressive, just assuredly assertive'.

'Lugansky’s touch was particularly heartrending in the slow movement, supported by beautifully tender flute and clarinet solos'.

Vasily Petrenko conducts the RPO
© Andy Paradise

Elgar:

'... his grasp on its rich and lavish orchestration was evident right from the opening build to the noble theme’s first tutti rendition'.

'Petrenko took no prisoners with an incredibly quick second movement; the RPO ensemble was highly impressive here'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.

Singing vocal lines plus phenomenal power in Lugansky's Rachmaninov

Nikolai Lugansky
© Marco Borggreve

Nikolai Lugansky (piano)

7.30pm, Monday 20 March, 2023

Wigmore Hall, London

★★★★★

Sergey Rachmaninov (1873-1943):

            10 Preludes, Op. 23

                        Prelude in F sharp minor

                        Prelude in B flat

                        Prelude in D minor

                        Prelude in D

                        Prelude in G minor

                        Prelude in E flat

                        Prelude in C minor

                        Prelude in A flat

                        Prelude in E flat minor

                        Prelude in G flat

            Variations on a Theme of Corelli, Op. 42

            Études-tableaux, Op. 39

                        Étude-tableau in C minor

                        Étude-tableau in A minor

                        Étude-tableau in F sharp minor

                        Étude-tableau in B minor

                        Étude-tableau in E flat minor

                        Étude-tableau in A minor

                        Étude-tableau in C minor

                        Étude-tableau in D minor

                        Étude-tableau in D

Encores:

            Friedrich Kreisler (1875-1962), arr. Rachmaninov:

                        Liebesleid

            Rachmaninov:

                        Oriental Sketch

'Lugansky is a cool performer yet never aloof, and his smile in response to enthusiastic applause showed genuine pleasure. That pleasure also shone through in those lyrical melodies'.

Preludes:

'He also offered the full range of Rachmaninov's beloved bells, from an incredibly light touch in the high single notes at the end of that D major Prelude, to the weighty tolls at the end of the A flat Prelude'. 

Corelli Variations:

'Lugansky was mesmerising in the rapid virtuosity, but it was in the Intermezzo's improvisatory melody, and the wandering arabesque of the 15th, with its insistent blue note, that he was at his most captivating'.

Études-tableaux:

'In the Op.39 Études-tableaux, Lugansky showed us even more drive, with phenomenal, almost crazy rapid action at the top of the keyboard in no. 3'.

'It was impossible not to delight in a performer so clearly at home in his repertoire'.

Read my full review on Bachtrack here.