Pavel Nersessian, Pianist - Summit Music Festival

[Donald Isler]

Pavel Nersessian, Pianist
Summit Music Festival
Thornwood, New York

August 1st, 2022

Silvestrov: Five Waltzes and a Lullaby, Op. 174
Beethoven: Sonata in C-Sharp Minor, Op. 27, No. 2 ("Moonlight")
Poulenc: Soirées de Nazalles FP 84
Dandrieu: La Caquet
Rameau: Le Rappel des oiseaux
Daquin: Le Coucou
Couperin: Les petits Moulins à Vent
Daquin: L'Hirondelle
Couperin: Les Papillons
Rameau: Les Cyclopes
Schumann: Carnaval, Op. 9

Among his other fine qualities as a pianist, Pavel Nersessian has remarkable control when playing softly. Actually, levels of soft playing, so well does he do this. One was impressed with the lovely Silvestrov work with which he opened his program. Having not seen the score, I would hazard a guess that in the entire group of Five Waltzes and a Lullaby there's no marking louder than piano, but there were many layers of dreamy beauty to be found here. This is a pianist who does not have to make a racket to get your attention!

I am rarely delighted to see the Moonlight Sonata of Beethoven listed on a program. I mean no disrespect to this significant work of one of the greatest composers, but one so often hears excessive rubato in the first movement as the pianist de jour "emotes." By contrast, Mr. Nersessian's playing of this movement was one of the finest interpretations I have ever heard. He began incredibly softly, as if the music was approaching from afar, later building up to a higher dynamic level. And he kept the tempo under control so that everything moved along glacially and organically. The second movement was somewhat slower than one often hears it, with interestingly emphasized phrasing. The finale was fast and demonstrated that there are no "rough edges" to Mr. Nersessian's playing. Everything sped by with apparent ease, including all those arpeggios and sometimes awkward Alberti bass parts.

The first half of the program concluded with Poulenc's four movement Soirées de Nazalles (Evenings in Nazalles). I once read a description of Poulenc as being a cross between a punk and a saint, and one hears such jarring contrasts in this delightful and engaging music. It began raucous and wild, though the first movement had a surprise, quiet ending. Other parts of this work were exuberant, witty and endearing, occasionally somber, and even otherworldly.

The second half began with seven relatively short pieces from the French Baroque era, which work just fine on a modern piano, especially when played with such elegance. One would be happy to hear these pieces programmed more often!

Mr. Nersessian's reading of Schumann's Carnaval showed his complete understanding of this music, featuring power and refinement, as well as individuality. The opening was very grand. In Arlequin, he brought out the repeated right-hand jumps. Eusebius was poetic, and Replique was spacious and beautiful. Chiarina (referring to Clara, later Schumann's wife) was surprisingly serious, and Chopin flowed beautifully. Estrella was strong, Reconnaissance was imaginative, Paganini very fast and exciting, and the concluding March was powerful.

He played one encore, December by Tchaikovsky, from the Seasons. It had a nod towards light-heartedness yet was sensitive and reserved.

Mr. Nersessian was warmly received by the appreciative audience.

Donald Isler