YEFIM BRONFMAN, Libby Gardner Concert Hall, Nov. 18.
Yefim Bronfman is a true master of the keyboard. The Russian-born pianist possesses amazing technique and impressive musicality — but more important, he imprints his own personality on the music. Ruggedly individual and highly original in his approach, Bronfman's performances are always refreshingly vivid and profoundly unique.
For his Salt Lake recital debut Monday evening in Libby Gardner Concert Hall, Bronfman played a fascinating program, which, in the second half, was devoted exclusively to two of his favored composers--Rachmaninoff and Prokofiev.
Bronfman opened the second half with seven of the 10 preludes from Rachmaninoff's op. 23. Each of these pieces has a different character, which Bronfman brought out with his interpretations. All are technically demanding, and Bronfman played them exquistely. But for all their demanding virtuosity, he nevertheless captured the underlying expressiveness that runs throughout each prelude.
After the Rachmaninoff, Bronfman plunged headlong into Prokofiev's Sonata No. 7 in B flat major, op. 83. One of the composer's most difficult works for solo piano, it requires of the performer the utmost in technique and interpretative skills, as well as incredible stamina. And Bronfman was more than up to the demands imposed by Prokofiev. He brought out the electrifying power of the work as well as its aggressive lyricism. This was a memorable as well as a stunning performance.
The outer movements of the Prokofiev are charged with a nervous energy that gives them impetus and drive. The motoric rhythms and frenetic quality of these two movements are unforgiving. There is only an occasional letup in the perpetual motion, and Bronfman set these brief lyrical interludes in stark contrast to the main body of each movement.
The slow middle movement has a calm, almost spiritual quality about it, although some of the restless vitality of the outer movements carries over as well. The movement offers some necessary relief to the overwhelming ferocity of the other two movements, and Bronfman captured the music's subtleties and nuances.
The recital opened with one of Beethoven's early sonatas, no. 7 in D major, op. 10, no. 3. Bronfman played this work with an intense dramatic fervor that captured the surprising changes of mood between and within each movement, putting his unmistakable mark on the rhythmically vibrant, dynamic and forceful music.
Also on the program was "Dichotomie" by Esa-Pekka Salonen, a derivative work that is obviously indebted to Prokofiev in its pounding, relentless rhythmic drive.
There were also two encores — a short piece by Bach and Chopin's "Revolutionary Etude."
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