Natalia Kazaryan, Pianist - Klavierhaus New York

[Donald Isler]

Natalia Kazaryan, Piano
Klavierhaus New York
May 7th, 2023

Brahms: Six Fantasien, Op. 116
Walker: Sonata No. 5
Ravel: Le tombeau de Couperin
Bacewicz: Sonata No. 2

Natalia Kazaryan is a Washington, DC based pianist who played a most interesting recital last night at Klavierhaus New York. I watched it on the livestream.

With a "take charge" attitude Ms. Kazaryan piled into the tumult of the Capriccio which is the first piece of Brahms' Op. 116 Fantasies. The second piece was spacious, with lovely playing in the higher registers of the instrument contrasting with the melancholic material in the lower registers. After the rambunctious third piece she successfully negotiated the subtle tempo adjustments in the fourth one which make it slow enough to get the most expressivity out of it without letting it drag. The fifth, quirky piece was followed by the sixth, which Ms. Kazaryan started a little faster than one often hears it. The seventh piece was fast and furious, though one could clearly enjoy the syncopated rhythms in one hand against the arpeggios in the other.

It is always a challenge to understand and write well about contemporary works which one hasn't heard before, especially without the benefit of a score. Ms. Kazaryan performed two such works, the Fifth Sonata of George Walker, and the Second Sonata of Grazyna Bacewicz, as part of her commitment to play "lesser performed great composers" as she expressed it. She played both of these complicated works with strength and conviction.

The Walker Sonata is short and passionate, with spiky motives and virtuosic passagework.

The Bacewicz Sonata is more large scale, in three movements, and lasts about 15 minutes. The first movement had a powerful beginning and contrasting quieter sections. One heard all variety of brilliant finger work, turbulence, some chromaticism, and what appeared to be a motive of a descending minor third, which returned in the other movements.

The slow, ruminative second movement started with chords, out of which grew a melody. Following a louder section, one heard what I thought might be the beginning of a fugal movement. But I don't think that actually happened, and the second movement concluded very quietly with a return to the material with which it began.

The final movement included interlocking hands, frisky motives, octaves, great energy, and the use of much of the keyboard.

Natalia Kazaryan is a wonderful Ravel pianist! She performed three pieces from his Tombeau de Couperin. The first movement flowed and featured delicacy, sensuousness, and a wonderful arpeggiated "flutter" at the end. The second movement featured really beautiful soft playing, thoughtful with expressive shadings. The third of the movements she played, was prickly and bustling, the beginning sounding something like Morse Code! It ended in a frenzy!

Ms. Kazaryan played one encore which is so obscure that even host Joe Patrych, about whom Gary Graffman once told me "He knows everything!" couldn't identify it. From the first three or four notes I thought we were about to hear the second movement - Romanze - of Schumann's Faschingschwank aus Wien. But it quickly became apparent that, though very interesting, this was something quite different, sounding to me like a later, somewhat murky post-Rachmaninoff work. Ms. Kazaryan later revealed that it was by Lili Boulanger, and one of the works that gave her a strong incentive to learn more music by women composers.

Donald Isler

[Ricordanza]

Ms. Kazaryan played one encore which is so obscure that even host Joe Patrych, about whom Gary Graffman once told me "He knows everything!" couldn't identify it. From the first three or four notes I thought we were about to hear the second movement - Romanze - of Schumann's Faschingschwank aus Wien. But it quickly became apparent that, though very interesting, this was something quite different, sounding to me like a later, somewhat murky post-Rachmaninoff work. Ms. Kazaryan later revealed that it was by Lili Boulanger, and one of the works that gave her a strong incentive to learn more music by women composers.

I always prefer that performers announce their encores before playing them, unless the piece is so well known (such as a Chopin Waltz) that the audience recognizes it.

Thanks, Don, for another great review.

[Donald Isler]

Thank you, Ricordanza!

As for announcing encores before playing them: That's fine with me. but it can also be interesting to hear a piece of music without knowing who wrote it, and thus, listen without any prejudices of any sort. Of course, it is frustrating, especially if I' m writing a review, if this information isn't given out afterwards, either!

[Ricordanza]

Of course, it is frustrating, especially if I' m writing a review, if this information isn't given out afterwards, either!

When the encore is not announced or I do not recognize it, my usual practice is to send an email inquiry to the concert sponsor--the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society or the Philadelphia Orchestra--and they usually respond promptly. Is that what you do?

[Donald Isler]

if I'm at a concert in person and this happens I may try to find the pianist afterwards and ask him or her. Or if Joe Patrych is there, I ask him. Only rarely does he not know the answer.