REVIEW: Igor Tchetuev: Piano Soloist, Chichester Chamber Concerts.

As Chichester Chamber Concerts approached the conclusion of their Sixth Season, they were suitably persuaded to present a recital by an exceptionally gifted young Russian solo pianist.

Born in Sebastopol, Ukraine, Ivor Tchetuev is currently performing many recitals throughout Europe and, having eagerly entered the stage after his introduction by Chairman, Anna Hill, he immediately demonstrated his devotion to Beethoven’s genius by performing two of his Sonatas, intensely merging his own passionate skill and enthusiasm with this composer’s melodic harmonies, rhythms and structures – occasionally accompanied with his own facial response, as there were no musical scores on his piano.

During the second half of his programme, he then eagerly displayed his – typically Russian – fervour and passion, by concentrating on the intense colour and thunderous dynamics of Liszt’s remarkably inventive Etudes d’Exécution Transcendante, certainly focussing on many rapid cascades of notes before bringing this extraordinary work to its furious, passionate, conclusion.

Two encores then effectively illustrated his supreme musical balance as he devotedly expressed the serene music of Chopin, thus earning him dedicated applause.

John Wheatley

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