Show-Off From Siberia

North Miami Beach, FL April 1, 2001 Aaron H. Schectman

THINKING ALLOWED
Essays on issues, ideas and reflections on the times. Published now and
then, Opinions pro or con are welcome.
SHOW-OFF FROM SIBERIA

It isn't often that you get to see a show-off from Siberia. It came about
like this.

We went up to the Broward Performing Arts Center this afternoon to hear the
Bolshoi Symphony Orchestra play Tchaikovsky and Rachmaninoff. An unknown
(here in America) pianist, Denis Matsuev was to do the Piano Concerto No. 1
in B-Flat Minor, Opus 23. What do I know from pianists from Irkutsk,
Siberia and this piece by Tchaikovsky? Very little since I have gone to
concerts infrequently since my high school days - days filled with immanence
of service in war and lots and lots of Russian music.

A complicating factor was my left ear hearing aid. It sat last night in a
drying container and had a new battery. It worked when the new battery was
put in. As we were leaving I tried new batteries and the old aids sitting
in that same container with new batteries in each. Nothing happened. The
left ear would have to go it alone. (I've since discovered it was plugged
with wax)

We parked along Himmershee Avenue, lucky to get a space since there was
Jazz music in the park along the waterway. The theater was not filled which
is usually a bad sign. It couldn't have been because of the Jazz outside.

Strangely enough, this orchestra started almost on time - early for such
things. The Coronation March by Tchaikovsky began the concert and to my ear
it was a bit ragged - but what do I know. This short showy piece ended and
the pianist, a tall rugged handsome young man of 26 came and took his place
at the grand piano behind the conductor. This is a bit unusual. But he
took off with his part of Opus 23 and there was a race to the end -both
finishing together.

This talented young man was the 1998 Tchaikovsky Competition Gold Medal
winner. He continued his music training in Moscow after 1991 and composes as
well as extending his interest to non-classical musical forms.

It was then a really strange, but wonderful thing happened. With the
orchestra of over 100 instrumentalists still sitting in their places,
Matsuev played an encore. Then another. And, then another - in all, there
were 5 encores joyfully received in standing ovations by the appreciative
audience.
His mastery of the very different kinds of music he sat down to show off was
evident and highly enjoyable. The show-off from Siberia was very, very
good.
Carol's Evaluation: 10 out of 10.