Pianist Jonathan Powell has strong ties with not only Russian repertoire but also the pianistic tradition associated with it; his recital programmes regularly feature the classics of Rachmaninov, Scriabin, Medtner and Prokofiev alongside the works of their less familiar contemporaries. His expanding CD catalogue includes portrait discs of Goldenweiser, Blumenfeld, Sabaneyev, Eiges, Nikolayev, Conus and other unsung masters of the ‘Serebryanyj vek’. This concert is a unique opportunity to hear all 24 Shostakovich’s Preludes and Fugues Op. 87 in one evening. This is Jonathan’s fourth concert at the Pushkin House and a long-awaited one. Please note the concert starting time is 6pm.
Programme
Dmitry Shostakovich (1906-1975) 24 Preludes and Fugues, Op. 87
Having concentrated on composition during the 1990s, Jonathan Powell established an international career as a soloist having studied with Sulamita Aronovsky and Denis Matthews. Over the last decade, solo recitals have taken him to the Rachmaninov Hall of the MGK, on a six-concert US tour, to Musica Sacra in Maastricht, the series Fundación BBVA in Bilbao, Musica Nova in Helsinki, the Festival Radio France Montpellier, Borealis Festival in Bergen, broadcasts for Radio Netherlands and Radio Deutschland Kultur, the Raritäten der Klaviermusik am Schloss vor Husum, Vredenburg Muziekcentrum in Utrecht, and the Jewish Museum and Altes Rathaus in Vienna. His recent concerto appearances include Brahms’ 2nd (Slovak Philarmonic), Liszt’s Malédiction (in Kiev), Finnissy’s 2nd Concerto (Moscow) and Sørensen’s 2nd (with the Prague Philarmonia), Rachmaninov’s 3rd and Chopin’s 2nd (provincial Ukraine). In 2009 he gave the first of many performances of the cycle of Scriabin’s 10 sonatas in single concerts. During 2013 he toured Messiaen’s Vingt regards sur l’enfant Jésus and Albeniz’ Iberia, while in 2015 he gave numerous performances of Beethoven’s Hammerklavier sonata and Reger’s Bach Variations. Recent activities include a European tour featuring the complete piano works of Xenakis and, in 2017, Liszt’s Sonata, Stockhausen’s Klavierstücke and several performances of Sorabji’s Opus clavicembalisticum. Masterclasses, lecture-recitals and coaching have recently taken Powell to the Janáček Academy (Brno), Oxford University, the Guildhall School and Music and Drama (London), Akademie für Tonkunst (Darmstadt), Cornish College of Arts (Seattle), and Det Jyske Musikkonservatorium (Denmark). His articles on many aspects of Russian music appear in the New Grove Dictionary of Music. He lives in southern Poland.
A certified big deal … … Mr. Powell’s performance was powerful and robust, equal to the work in every way — New York Times
Jonathan Powell is a serious and challenging … pianist, one whose programme indicated a decisive commitment to the cutting edge of extreme virtuosity — The Times
It takes a particular sort of musicality and tremendous dedication to bring this music to life, which the pianist Jonathan Powell clearly has in spades — The Telegraph