Past event — This event ended 12 days ago.
Martin Oei: Reis door de Russische pianoschool van Balakirev tot Stravinsky
About the event
Pianist Martin Oei dives into the worlds of Russian piano music: from the folklore of Balakirev and the mysticism of Scriabin, via the melancholy of Rachmaninoff, to the rhythm and theater of Prokofiev and Stravinsky. A journey from intimate lyricism to grand virtuoso theater, passing by composers who each, in their own way, shaped and abandoned Russian identity, ultimately creating timeless music. Scriabin, Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev
The recital opens with a number of etudes by Scriabin, in which the young composer lets his romantic heart speak. Rachmaninoff follows with a selection from his beloved Preludes Opus 23. Then, modern energy bursts forth with Prokofiev's Seventh Sonata, 'Stalingrad'. This masterpiece, composed in the midst of the Second World War, is a raw rhythmic monument and a soundscape of extreme times; a ruthless artistic commentary on conflict and struggle.
Balakirev and Stravinsky
After the intermission, Martin opens with Mili Balakirev’s Orientalist piano fantasy Islamey, followed by the Impressionist Poèmes, Op. 32 by Scriabin: floating, dreamlike miniatures full of color and mysticism. The journey ends with Stravinsky. As an emigrant in Paris, he made the Russian folklore of his ballet Petrushka world-famous. His piano version is a virtuoso translation of folk theater: colorful, rhythmic, and full of bravura. The story of the doll with a soul—about love, jealousy, and rebelliousness—is universal, but the music is pure Russian theater magic.
