Dmitry Masleev - Théâtre des Champs Elysées, Paris TCE

Dmitry Masleev piano. The first Rendez-vous in the Rachmaninov cycle that Dmitry Masleev is devoting himself to this season. Rachmaninov IÉtudes-tableaux op. 33, Romances (transcription for piano)Mendelssohn / Rachmaninov Scherzo, Élégie op. 3, Prélude op. 3, Polichinelle op. 3, Nocturne op. 10, Barcarolle op. 10, Sonate n° 2

In brief

First Prize winner of the Tchaïkovski Competition in 2015, the few appearances the Russian pianist has made in France so far have drawn nothing but praise and acclaim. This was the case with a dazzling performance of Concerto n° 1 by Tchaïkovski with the National in 2020, and then with his first recitals at the Roque-d'Anthéron festival, at the Philharmonie de Paris and right here at this very venue. This season he takes on the challenge of a complete cycle of Rachmaninov's piano music over three recitals.

The majority of Rachmaninov's piano output was composed in the first half of his life, before the revolution of 1917. His style asserts itself as early as the Op. 3 Pieces (1892), develops in the Moments musicaux, Op. 16 four years later, and reaches maturity in the Préludes and the Études-Tableaux (1902–1916).

The first Rendez-vous takes place this evening, in which Masleev sets Rachmaninov and Mendelssohn in dialogue.

Production Piano****