[NoHo Arts District, CA] – A NoHo Arts music review of internationally acclaimed Russian pianist Mikhail Korzhev at The Athena Foundation for the Arts concert series.
What do Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Ernst Krenek, and Sergei Rachmaninoff have in common?
Some of their most masterful works were performed by the internationally acclaimed Russian pianist Mikhail Korzhev in front of a full house of eager attendees at the Community Auditorium. Maestro Korzhev brings drama, complexity, and a complete artistry to these carefully selected pieces.
The atmosphere in the auditorium was one of bated anticipation. I felt that I was surrounded by fans of Maestro Korzhev and I was the only one who was not familiar with his virtuosity. I was soon to find out what all the excitement was about.
With the energetic selections from Franz Schubert and Robert Schumann, we were all exposed to the power and command of the pianoforte. Korzhev has a way of playing a piece with such dexterity that defies description. The sounds coming out of the piano are both subtle and powerful (piano-forte). His technique is precise, but the feelings he emits from his playing to a wanting audience are sublime. At times, I found myself holding my breath until the ringing out of the final chord. My exhalation came with the emotions of pleasure and gratitude. By the time he finished the first half of the performance with a selection from Ernst Krenek’s George Washington Variations, Opus 120, the audience was already more than satisfied.
After intermission, we all sat back down at our seats. There were two children, under 10 in front of me, each of them looking at a book they brought with them. But, once the Maestro began his playing selections from the Russian master, Sergei Rachmaninoff, the children stopped what they were doing and turned around to watch Mikhail Korzhev playing. It was astonishing to watch two young children be as mesmerized as I was by such beautifully played notes. Each of the final selections was met with thunderous applause and a standing ovation.
Electricity filled the auditorium. Mikhail Korzhev had won his audience over and over with each piece he played and I, for one, was dazzled and filled with gratitude and admiration. The concert lasted about an hour and a half and I wished for more. As I exited the auditorium the two children and their parents that sat in front of me were chatting away. Then the little girl asked her father, “Can we come again next week?” I smiled to myself as they walked away and I realized how magical a thing music is. It transcends time, space, language and age.