Boris Giltburg's Philadelphia recital debut

[Ricordanza]

Clara Schumann dismissed Franz Liszt’s Piano Sonata in B Minor as “merely a blind noise.” Johannes Brahms’ reaction to the piece was even more insulting. When Liszt played the sonata for him, it is reported that Brahms fell asleep. I can assure you that no one in the audience for Boris Giltburg’s November 29th piano recital fell asleep during his spellbinding performance of this landmark work.

Perhaps the initial negative reaction is understandable. When it was published in 1853, Liszt’s sonata did not sound like anything else composed for the piano, including Liszt’s prior output. Today, piano aficionados consider it to be the Mount Everest of the Romantic piano repertoire. If a pianist can conquer the enormous technical and musical challenges of this work, the audience is rewarded with a piece that roars and caresses and yearns—it expresses just about every emotion in its 30-minute duration. Giltburg more than met the demands of this work and delivered a performance that was compelling and memorable.

Before tackling the Liszt sonata, Giltburg opened the program with another favorite work of mine, Beethoven’s Opus 110 Sonata. This sonata, the next to last of the 32 composed by Beethoven, begins with a relatively brief lyrical movement. An even shorter, almost playful movement follows. But the heart of the piece (for me, at least) is the extended third movement. A dreamy, seemingly improvised section leads into a dramatic fugue. Another passage with an improvisational quality serves as a bridge to another fugue and a stirring finish. Giltburg’s performance of this work featured crystal-clear articulation, superb dynamic control and, most of all, a persuasive interpretation. For example, he began the passage that begins the third movement at a pace that seemed far too slow, but as he continued with a very gradual increase in tempo and intensity, he somehow convinced us that this was a kind of improvisation—a tentative exploration by the composer in search of a musical idea that could be fully developed.

After intermission, Giltburg turned to one of the greatest composers for the keyboard, Sergei Rachmaninoff, and the 13 Preludes in the Opus 32 set. These 13 complete the cycle of 24 Preludes in every major and minor key. Some of the Opus 32 collection are more familiar than others, but I would be hard pressed to identify a favorite among these pieces. My only quibble with Giltburg’s rendition was that the second Prelude (one of the more frequently performed) seemed rushed, but otherwise, his performances captured the individuality and brilliance of these gems. While not “the” favorite, the final Prelude particularly resonates with me. Every time I hear it played, I am in awe of the way it conveys the feeling of a final statement, a summing up of the entire 24-piece cycle.

Giltburg offered one exquisite encore: Rachmaninoff’s transcription of Fritz Kreisler’s Liebeslied.

This recital was the Moscow-born Israeli pianist’s first appearance under the auspices of the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society. I am confident that the Society will invite Boris Giltburg to return in future seasons.

[Belle]

Another brilliant and visceral review. Much appreciated.

I think the story about Brahms sleeping through the Liszt B Minor is probably apocryphal; however, he did sleep on the train from Bad Ishl, over-shooting the stop at Bonn where Clara Schumann was being laid to rest. Johannes Brahms had enough musical nous to discern the value of the B Minor Sonata, irrespective of whether or not it was new!! He was just being a contrarian.

[cliftwood]

as expected, yet another in a long series of superb reviews by the finest critic I know of...Henry Maurer. Sorry I was not able to attend the Giltburg recital, but reading Henry's brilliant review is the closest thing to being there.

Re the Liszt Sonata, it seems that one either hates it or loves it, and I have always considered it to be a masterpiece . My late brother, who was quite a scholar of piano music, used to squirm in silent agony every time we attended a performance, by any pianist of the Liszt work.
So much for musical tastes.

Martha Argerich remains my first choice for her superb rendition.

cliftwood

[Ricordanza]

Harris, thank you for your comments. You are too kind. I hope you are able to attend future PCMS recitals.

I recall meeting your brother at a couple of recitals in past years. I am sorry to hear of his passing.

HM