"Dallasstar"
Русский Алексей Султанов с ликованием принимает золотую медаль конкурса Вэна Клайберна.
19-тилетний ташкентец не пытался проявить сдержанность, когда услышал, что именно он победитель - он вскочил со своего места, ликующе вскинул кулаки над головой- стиль-рок! - и вылетел на сцену по-юношески лихо.
У него был повод чувствовать себя счастливым. Приз - один из самых завидных для классических музыкантов, он фактически гарантирует ему успешную карьеру.
Критики говорят, что звание обладателя золота на конкурсе Клайберна. может носить лишь гениальная -личность, и 14 членов жюри вручили золото мр. Султанову.
Юный русский - самый младший из 38 участников конкурса, его игра, подобно взрывной волне, воспламеняла публику на протяжении всех 16-ти дней конкурса.
Его смелость сродни его фортепианному стилю. После церемонии вручения призов он таким образом пояснял свою стратегию на конкурсе:" Я хотел получить первый приз на конкурсе - или ничего!"
Члены жюри признаются, что на протяжении конкурса мр .Султанов ни разу не находился в опасности не достигнуть своей цели. Дирижер Максим Шостакович и концертмейстер Ральф Вотапек сказали, что они были уверены в его победе, когда познакомились с его видеозаписями в феврале. "Он великолепный музыкант ,великолепный артист, подлинный уникальный талант" - сказал мр. Шостакович, сын композитора Дмитрия Шостаковича.-"Достаточно было услышать три такта, чтобы быть уверенным, что он победит".
Мр. Вотапек, победитель конкурса Клайберна в 1962 году, сказал, что манера мр. Султанова безапеляционна, но ее принимают, потому что она никогда не "оскорбляет" уха. Иногда он выделывает диковинные штучки, но это вполне приемлемый путь. Его поиски - не осечка на этом пути.
И его победа на конкурсе несомненно доказывает это. Первая премия включает 15 тысяч долларов наличными, но, что более важно, контракты на концерты на последующие два года - это дает примерно 200 тыс. долларов.
Вместе с концертной деятельностью мр .Султанов хочет продолжать свою учебу в Московской консерватории, в дополнение к своим конкурсным обязательствам. "Я знаю, это трудно будет выполнить сказал он корреспонденту. -"И есть только один способ осуществить это - занятия, занятия, занятия."
Ранее, однако, директор ассоциации Клайберна Рихард Родзинский сказал: "все организуемые концерты нуждаются только в уточнении даты. Мы обеспечиваем сам факт возможности проведения таких концертов, а их число и продолжительность гастрольных туров определяются позднее. Если кто-то способен только на 30-40 концертов в год мы предоставляем им такую возможность.
Наша задача - помочь молодым музыкантам. "Не отдать их на съедение волкам" - такова задача нашей ассоциации". Конкурс гарантирует контракты, но они не обязательны ди: обладателя золотой награды.
Мр. Султанов, подобно бразильской пианистке Кристине Ортц, нынешнему члену жюри, - самый молодой победитель конкурса Клайберна. Он учится у Л.Н. Наумова, которые также готовил обладателя золотой награды 1973 года Владимира Виардо. Виардо был на сцене, поздравляя мр. Султанова..
Провозглашение победителей было кульминацией торжественной церемонии, ее вел актер Дадли Мор ( кстати, он сам вполне образованный пианист).
После небольшого перерыва, шесть финалистов исполнили несколько небольших произведений.
Мр. Султанов предложил блистательную интерпретацию знаменитого шопеновского Большого вальса. На "бис" был будоражащий "Революционный этюд". Этот "бис" снова заставил вскочить публику.
За кулисами, однако умение владеть собой отступило перед мальчишеством. Он не скрывал своего обожания мр. Клайберна и сказал о нем так: виртуоз из Форт-Уорта - обладатель русской души. Он изучает корейские виды спорта, поклонник Брюс Ли и джазовой музыки.
В Форт-Уорте о подружился с поклонниками джаза и играл по слуху "Тэйк зе Эй Трэйн' Дюка Эллингтона. В эти же дни он получит свои первые уроки вождения - семья, которая его принимала, дала ему возможность попрактиковаться. Заглянул он и в магазин, чтобы купить для своей девушки американские бикини.
Благодаря победе на конкурсе его жизнь в будущем должна круто измениться. И он заявил репортерам, что настроен относительно своей карьеры весьма амбициозно ."Дня меня этот конкурс - всё. Я хочу играть для публики. Я хочу играть для людей".
1989
Sultanovs project fire and passion
Review Music
Chamber Music
Society of Fort
Worth
but night:
Uzbekhi pianist Alexei Sultanov, gold medalist of the 1989 Clibum Competition, joined his wife, Latvian
cellist Dace Abele Sultanov, last night at the
for Dace Abele Sultanov to local audiences. After a brief intermission, all three artists returned for Beethoven's Trio in С minor. Distinguished as his collaborators were, Alexei Sultanov constantly threatened to steal the show, ripping through scales in the opening Allegro, tearing through the madcap Menuetto and adopting a thoroughly Lisztian passion in the Finale.
By Wayne Lee Gay
Section A, Page 20 / Fort Worth Star-Telegram / Saturday, May 16,1992
Pianist extraordinaire Alexei Sultanov
0n Friday evening, a rapt audience enjoyed a stunning recital given by Russian pianist Alexei Sultanov at the City Hall Theatre. Still only 23 years old, Mr. Sultanov i took the musical world by storm in 1989 when he won the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition. Despite his youth, he is a consummate artist who combines technical brilliance with an almost uncanny mastery of style. The selected programme was well contrasted and began with some familiar and well loved pieces by Frederick Chopin.
In 1830, Chopin left
The early nineteenth century had seen the rise of the piano as a focal point of major recital work. In 1847 Monsieur Blanchard, reviewer for the "Gazette Musical'" would
announce: "Cultivating the pian has become something, that is as essential
to social harmony as the cultivation of the potato is to the existence of the people." When Chopin arrived in
The Ballade in G minor with which Mr. Sultanov began the recital
is extremely popular and quite a tour de force. Seldom have we heard the formidable Coda played with such impetuosity. It was a thrilling start to the evening.
The two waltzes which followed, Grande Valse Brilliant in E flat major and the well known "Minute Waltz"' in D flat major were marked by delicacy, poise and simple elegance.
Chopin wrote nineteen Nocturnes of which one of the most epic is certainly No 13 Opus
After the intermission, Mr. Sultanov the poet was replaced by Mr. Sultanov the young lion. Here the great sweeping lyricism of the Romantic Era was replaced by the pulsating rhythmic urgency of the Twentieth Century in works by the Russian composers Scriabin and Prokofiev.
Scriabin who died in 1915 and was therefore pre-revolutionary suffered none of the constraints of the late Russian matters. His music, though rooted in the late nineteenth century traditions of Imperial Russia, was certainly moving rapidly to the dissonance of the twentieth century. This was not a development
encouraged by subsequent Communist
governments. Their credo "Simple music for simple people", a daunting restriction for an intelligent being, and for a genius an impossibility, caused much heartache for composers such as Shostakovich, Kha-chaturian and Prokofiev. That the Russians have been left after seventy
years of Communist rule without basic
necessities is sad but hardly surprising.
That artistic integrity survived, given the lunacy of the political regime, is nothing Short of a miracle.
Mr. Sultanov, relaxed and always economical in movement, played the Sonata No. 5 by Scriabin and the Sonata No. 7 by Prokofiev with a combination of elan and primitive force. The Prokofiev Sonata in three movement was particularly interesting
in stylistic variety, with toccata figures in the first movement yielding
to an almost banal chromaticism in the middle Lento after which we found ourselves hurting to a climax of incredible ferocity in the finale aptly named "Precipitate".
The recital ended only after the enthusiastic audience was treated to two encores, Prelude in A Flat Minor by Scriabin and the
Revolutionary Study by Chopin.
Thanks are due to The Festival Committee for organising the debut in
Marjorie Pettit
1992
Pianist puts on dazzling display
An awesome display of talent was unleashed by Alexei Sultanov, a diminutive pianist with adroit hands that both slashed and caressed the keyboard in a recital for the Community Music Association.
The final concert of its 58th season Wednesday night was another triumph in scheduling for Community Music. The artist, at 22, is undoubtedly one of the finest pianists to perform in the Municipal Auditorium, and it has known some great ones, including Van Cliburn, Sultanov's emergence as an international musician can be traced to his win at the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition at
The Russian youth, the youngest of 38 finalists, proved himself worthy of the tradition established by the American Van Cliburn in capturing the gold at a young age in the international Tchaikovsky competition in
Sultanov exhibited not the slightest animosity for the piano, which was so obviously not at its best that it required emergency aid from a tuner during intermission, something rarely done.
His Mozart sonata, No.
The same tendency to aloofness was true in the rest of the first half of the program, comprised of two Chopin scherzos, No. 1, Opus 20 and No. 2, Opus 31, both in
B-flat minor and the very familiar Polonaise No.
Only the hands and forearms were involved with the pianist's body posture even during the liquid passages of the first scherzo and the constant thunder of the left hand in exquisite treble trills of the Polonaise, all played brisk in the second half, Sultanov grew in stature with Rachmaninoff s Etude-tableau in E-flat minor, which evoked evidence of the pianist's inner emotions. His affinity for another Russian
evident in his playing of Sonata No.
With supreme technique and sensual appreciation for the fiery Mephisto Waltz No. 1 of Franz Liszt, Sultanov drew a standing ovation from a delighted audience.
The ovation continued for the young man who has adopted
Friday March 20, 1992
ENTERTAINMENT
Russian pianist tough act to follow
News-Tribune staff writer
Listening to concert pianists is sort of like going to that first junior high school dance: It's easy to have fun when it's loud and fast, hut true excellence and meaning is found in (he slow, soft passages.
Alexei Sultanov, winner of the 8 Van Cliburn Piano Competition in 1989, made his mark Friday night not with technical wizardry, but with melancholy, romantic phrasing characteristic of pianists twice, three times, even four times his age.
With hair a little too long and a stature that barely measured to conductor Taavo Virkhaus' chin, the Russian-born Sultanov might've looked more at home serving Bic Macs at the drive-thru than performing Sergei Rachmaninoff's second piano concerto with the Duluth-Superior Symphony Orchestra.
Any doubts of his virtuosity were dispelled with his first note. Bubbling with intensity, he inspired the orchestra to accompany him with a guttural, sorrowful Russian sound.
Decades of scales and arpeggios wouldn't guarantee a pianist could play as Sultanov did Friday, lie wasn't especially flashy- Nor was he showing off.
His excellence came from within — from an innate sense of romanticism that enabled him to delay a tender chord just a fraction of a second, or lightly play the notes in his left hand just a touch before or after the notes in his right hand.
Those slight nuances made all the difference, and will make Sultanov's performance nearly impossible to top this orchestra season.
The Russian-born soloist added to the authenticity of Friday's ail-Russian program. The concert opened with Mikhail Glinka's overture to "Russian and Ludmilla" — a failure of an opera with an overture that has become a favorite. The orchestra's performance was spirited and players built and maintained energy very well, but the violins sounded muddy on the fast passages.
The same was true in Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky's first symphony, titled "Winter Dreams." Fast passages sometimes weren't quite I together, but the orchestra portrayed the sweeping Russian themes with pompous excellence, often building to pinnacles with J controlled maturity.
September 13, 1993
Special to The Commercial Appeal
Alexei Sultanov, the reigning gold medalist of the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition, appeared in concert at
Some in the audience remembered seeing the rising young star on television in 1989 as he played Rachmaninoff's Second Piano Concerto in the quadrennial competition. Now 23, Sultanov did not disappoint.
His first offering was Beethoven's Piano Sonata, No.
At times, Sultanov became introspective; his eyes closed, yet he never withdrew from his listeners and his fingers never stopped singing. He changed the mood with remarkable subtlety and control going into the third movement, which sparkled with agitation.
Next, Sultanov delivered an especially tender and sensuous rendering of Chopin's Fourth Ballade in F minor, Op. 52. It was a magical improvisatory outpouring, as Chopin intended. The emotional peaks seemed to come from deep within, amazing from one so young. The following piece, Chopin's Scherzo No. 3
in C-sharp minor, Op. 37, was devilish technically, and Sultanov's was a titan technique. The middle section, which can be static in less skilled hands, moved forward with grandeur. The contrasting textures of the lines sounded beautifully all-of-a-piece.
The second half of the program reverberated with the sounds of Sultanov's homeland, opening with Scriabin's Piano Sonata No. S, Op.
An amazing clarity was achieved amid the chaotic beauty. This celestial music left the listener in another realm. Sultanov ended with Rachmaninoff's Sonata No.
Sultanov showed nerves of steel as he ended the piece with an almost unbearably brilliant and raw-nerved virtuosity.
The concert opened with a song by Vladimir Sazanov, an exquisite bass singer from
The concert was presented by First Foundations Inc.
Philharmonic season debut: Sultanov's style splendid
Pianist parades his individuality in performance
Pianist Alexei Sultanov has let his hair grow since his last
demonstrated in his work with the perennially popular В Flat Major Concerto of Tchaikovsky, he is a master of the keyboard who might well cause a certain greening of the gills even in that legendary virtuoso of the past century. Sultanov's sovereign command of the Tchaikovsky score expressed itself above all through the stamp of individuality, as he brought an unusual amount of excitement and interest to this familiar music through occasional rubatos and minor accelerations. True, the "majesty" that the composer calls for in the opening Allegro of the Concerto disappeared for a moment behind the outburst of energy with which Sultanov somewhat brash-ly attacked the score; soon, however, the pianist had himself and the music — well in hand for an interpretation that spoke of both understanding and
affection.Especially interesting was the artist's hesitant lingering over the solo passage that leads to the conclusion of the the opening movement; here he evoked from the score a feeling of introspective improvisation, engaging for a moment — as it were — in the searching of Tchaikovsky's own oft-tormented soul. The individualism of Sultanov's performance makes him a challenging soloist to accompany,
and at times he gave Phil music director Oswald Lehnert a run for his rubles. However, the spontaneity of the pianist's work was so immediately infectious that the able instrumentalists of the ensemble were drawn into the spirit of Sultanov's playing and supported him with no great difficulty. Indeed, the entire performance exuded an aura of musical mesmerism. Beyond all that, Sultanov quite aside from all that hair is a fascinating pianist to watch. His hands are of a beauty that matches those that Albrecht Duerer folded in prayer so many centuries ago, and the ease with which he executed the powerful runs of the final Allegro left the large audience in Маску breathless.
The Phil itself was in fine form for this first performance of a season that sees the orchestra on stage two nights in a row for each of its subscription concerts. Under Lehnert's guidance the ensemble offered a reading of Schubert's "Unfinished" Symphony distinguished by an emphasis upon the contrast between the gentle lyricism and dramatic drive of its two completed movements.
Of particular interest was Lehnert's careful shaping of the dark clouds that spread their shadows over the middle of the opening Allegro — a sensation that grows so ominously out of the violins and then envelops the rest of the orchestra in anxiety and apprehension. And the delicacy with which the Andante was played stressed again the masterwork that this symphony is. To open the program, Lehnert took the Valkyries, Richard Wagner's martial-minded maidens, on a rambunctous "Ride."
By Wes Blomster , Camera Music Critic
The
Saturday, September 17,1994
Virtuoso pianist captivates audience
Challenging, sensitive
performance features works of Frederic Chopin.
By Victor Weidensee
Journal Reviewer
From the beginning to the end the audience was spellbound by the piano performance of Alexei Sultanov at Friday evening's concert in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater.
Sultanov, winner of the Van Cliburn International Competition in 1989, has performed throughout the world.
Since winning, he has performed in more than 100 concerto and recital performances in the major music centers of the world, including
resides in
The concert was a straight-ahead recital format and featured the piano works of the Polish romantic composer Frederic Chopin.
Chopin, a contemporary of the great piano virtuoso Franz Liszt, created the majority of his music intimate of musical instruments, the piano. The romantic nature of the compositions stress the appeal to the emotions through the use of contrasts, changes in harmonic structure, and emphasis on melody. The all-Chopin concert included, among others, the "Ballade in F minor," the "Nocturne in С minor," the familiar "Waltz in E b major," the "Sonata in В minor," and one of his best-known works the "Polanaise in F minor."
Technically, Sultanov knows no limits, his control is awesome and the speed with which he executes- the most difficult challenges is inspiring. However, he is also capable of the, most refined and sensitive performance of the slow and sustained sections of the music.
For example, in the slow section of the "Sonata" he brings all the depth of the emotional content of the music to the audience bу his controlled performance. Sultanov is without a doubt one of the shining stars in the new generation of virtuosi pianists.
He has a formidable technique, great power, is a master of the rubato as applied to Chopin, and understands and makes use of the value and the power of contrast needed in the performance of the romantic music of Chopin.
The program was well attended by many young people who, I suspect, are studying piano. The performance must be an inspiration, not only to the adults, but to these youngsters.
The Rapid City Concert Association is to be commended for making it possible for the citizens of the community to have the opportunity to see and hear this example of high-quality musicianship.
saturday,January 14, 1995
Virtuoso pianist captivates audience
Challenging, sensitive
performance features works of Frederic Chopin.
From the beginning to the end the audience was spellbound by the piano performance of Alexei Sultanov at Friday evening's concert in the Rushmore Plaza Civic Center Theater.
Sultanov, winner of the Van Cliburn International Competition in 1989, has performed throughout the world.
Since winning, he has performed in more than 100 concerto and recital performances in the major music centers of the world, including
The concert was a straight-ahead recital format and featured the piano works of the Polish romantic composer Frederic Chopin.
Chopin, a contemporary of the great piano virtuoso Franz Liszt, created the majority of his music for the most intimate of musical instruments, the piano. The romantic nature of the compositions stress the appeal to the emotions through the use of contrasts, changes in harmonic structure, and emphasis on melody.
The all-Chopin concert included, among others, the "Ballade in F minor," the "Nocturne in С minor," the familiar "Waltz in E b major," the "Sonata in В minor," and one of his best-known works the "Polonaise in F minor."
Technically, Sultanov knows no linuts, His, control is awesome and the speed with which he executes the most difficult challenges is inspiring.
However, he is also capable of the, most refined and sensitive performance of the slow and sustained sections of the music.
For example, in the slow section of the " Sonata" he brings all the depth of the emotional content of the music to the audience bу his controlled performance.
Sultanov is without a doubt one of the shining stars in theJiew generation of virtuosi piariists.
He has a formidable technique, great power, is a master of the rubato as applied to Chopin, and understands and makes use of the value and the power of contrast needed in the performance of the romantic music of Chopin.
The program was well attended by many young people who, 1 suspect, are studying piano. The performance must be an inspiration, not only to the adults, but to these youngsters.
The Rapid City Concert Association is to be commended for ' making it possible for the citizens of the community to have the opportunity to see and hear this example of high-quality musicianship.
By Victor Weidensee , Journal Reviewer
January 14, 1995
Sultanov's Chopin concert is beautiful, magnificent
Alexel Sullnnov, the brilliant pianist who won the eighth Van Cliburn competition, brought not only the genius of Frederic Chopin as a composer, but also his heart and soul, as he astounded the Springfield Community Concert Association audience Sun day evening; with a gorlous all
Chopin recital.
The young man was all business. He entered, brushed the tails of his tuxedo aside and almost before he sat down, began to play. By the time the first few hotesof the "Ballade In F Minor" went by, I knew that we were In for an evening of magnificent music.
Chopin Invented the ballade — a one-movement form that allowed him full freedom of expression outside the boundaries set by the traditional forms. He wrote four of them, and this (and the G Minor) are my favorites. The principal theme Is a beautiful and poignant waltz that unfolds with dramatic brilliance until the final Coda, a musical explosion of planistlc color.
The 19th century had two giants of the piano — Chopin and Franz Liszt. Both of them seemed to be bent on writing music that was unplayable by ordinary mortals. Each composer was quite aware of the other, and there appeared to be almost a competition between them, although It was never acknowledged publicly.
Certainly Chopin transformed the world of piano music. Along with the ballade, he brought the Polish mazurka and polonaise to the world's attention. He took the nocturne of John Field and made It an entirely new composition.
Nocturne translates roughly as "night music," but Chopin's "Nocturne in С Minor" Is a very dramatic night Indeed. It has a huge crescendo, and you can hear the octaves that Liszt had made his trademark creeping Into this composition.
The "Scherzo In B-Flat Minor" has a big crashing Introduction, and then takes off Into a section where the pianist starts at the ends of the keyboard and meets in the middle. The Chopin scherzo are virtuoso pieces, meant to show off the pianist's technical abilities, while also allowing for warmly Romantic Interpretation.
The "Grande Valse Brilliante In E-Flat Ma)or" Is a familiar piece — he even wrote a version of It for piano and orchestra. Very dance-like. It has a rollicking section In D-Flat that just makes you want to smile.
Chopin wrote U "Preludes," and Sultanov Included five (from Opus 28, written between the years of 1836-39) on this program. He began with the familiar. "No.
Sultanov played these preludes as a set, and as he progressed In order from No. 20 to No. 25, gave us a lesson on the difficulty level of the Chopin preludes, from easy to Incredibly viruostic. They contain all the compositional magic of the composer, from Polish by birth, although he lived In Paris throughout his compositional career, Chopin was very sentimental about his homeland, bringing it to life in the traditional dances of the country, the polonaise and the mazurka. The "Polonaise In A-Flat Major" is probably the most familiar of the /genre, and Is rather martial In character, but full of pomp and circumstance. The famous four-note descending pattern that begins softly but builds to octaves were positively a blur of motion as Sultanov's left . hand built the volume to a heroic level.
After Intermission, Sultanov played three of the Op. 56 mazurkas. The Chopin mazurka reminds me of the Brahms Intermezzos. Both are little jewels of Romantic mood-setting, exquisite In their variety and creativity. Originally a Polish dance in triple meter, they are transformed by Chopin, who wrote more than 50 of them, into works of stunning beauty.
The "Sonata No.
The first "Allegro maestoso" has one of the most beautifully lyrical melodies In all of the literature as the second theme. The scherzo look graceful flights all over the piano, settling In the middle to an Introspective trio section. The "
Sultanov was more than equal to the task; Indeed, this evening was the most beautiful and exciting Chopin I have ever heard. After hearing the music, with the millions of octaves played at blinding speed, I was surprised to find that Sultanov's hands were considerably smaller than mine. (L measured — his fingertips barely reached the last joint on my fingers!) He has Incredible power, and Incredible sensitivity. He played Chopin like It was meant to be, and the way that most pianists only dream of. I feel fortunate to have beard him. I know that he was slated to come here once before, but was taken 111. I am so glad that he finally got here, but more glad that I got to see and hear him.
The audience certainly understood the quality of music they heard. The standing ovation brought us two encores, the first the beautiful "Fanlasie Impromptu In C-Sharp Minor," Its lyrical D-Flat major section is the melody that became the song "I'm Always Chasing Rainbows." The second encore was the most exciting "Revolutionary Etude" l have ever heard.
Sultanov met his audience in the lobby after the concert, signing autographs. As we waited for him, one audience member summed up the program well: "My gut level Is that he played more notes here tonight than I have played in my lifetime!"
By Anhker
Correspondent
Monday, March 4. 1996