AN INTERVIEW WITH ARCADI VOLODOS The first time I heard of young Russian pianist arcadi volodos was via his 1997 SonyClassical CD (62691) which consisted primarily of transcriptions by Cziffra http://classicalcdreview.com/avint.htm
Extractions: AN INTERVIEW WITH ARCADI VOLODOS The first time I heard of young Russian pianist Arcadi Volodos was via his 1997 Sony Classical CD SK 60893) , recorded live in Carnegie Hall in October 1998, with music of Liszt, Scriabin, Schumann and Rachmaninoff, revealing a master pianist at his best. Reviewing a November 2000 Carnegie Hall recital, Anthony Tommasini wrote in the New York Times: "...his sound was velvety and plush. You could almost hear the voice of Rosina Lhevinne, the great Russian pedagogue, proclaiming from the the beyond, 'Now, that's what I call sound!' By now talk must be spreading all over town about Mr. Volodos's knockout performance of Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 . It would not seem possible to play the piano as fast as he did in the crazed dance that concludes the work...it was astonishing..." When Volodos was scheduled to make his Baltimore debut with three performances of Prokofiev's Concerto No. 2 with the Baltimore Symphony in mid-March 2001, I contacted the BSO requesting an interview with Volodos for this website. A few days later they replied in the affirmative "if it doesn't take more than 25 minutes." The BSO spokesperson warned of a potential problem: Volodos is fluent only in French and Russian and therefore I would have to supply an interpreter. This slight obstacle was easily surmounted, as my good friend Robert Rivkin speaks French and agreed to accompany me. Rivkin and I attended the BSO rehearsal Wednesday afternoon. Guest conductor James DePriest and the orchestra had already rehearsed other works on the program (the world premiere of George Tsontakis' October and Beethoven's Symphony No. 4), so all that remained was the Prokofiev Concerto No. 2. Volodos rehearsed without a score, and obviously knew the music inside and out; several times during the rehearsal when conductor or soloist requested a restart in the orchestral part, Volodos would play the starting point on the piano to make it easier for the orchestra to find where to begin. Things went so smoothly that the rehearsal ended ahead of schedule quite remarkable considering the Prokofiev Second is one of the most difficult of all concertos.
Arcadi Volodos Debut Recording Russian pianist arcadi volodos, now in his midtwenties, didn t begin serious studyof the piano until he was 16, but hearing these masterful performances one http://classicalcdreview.com/volodos1.html
Extractions: Sony Classical 62691 (M) (DDD) TT: 61:20 Russian pianist Arcadi Volodos, now in his mid-twenties, didn't begin serious study of the piano until he was 16, but hearing these masterful performances one would never suspect that he has been playing but a decade. This debut Sony CD offers transcriptions, many of them Horowitz originals apparently reconstructed by Volodos: Variations on Bizet's Carmen and Liszt's Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 . He also dispatches Georges Cziffra's fantastic transcription of Rimsky-Korsakov's Flight of the Bumblebee (but doesn't play the repeats), Feinberg's transcription of the scherzo from Tchaikovsky's Symphony No. 6 and a Bach Largo, three songs of Schubert arranged by Liszt, three excerpts from Prokofiev's Cinderella , and his own transcriptions of two songs of Rachmaninoff and Mozart's Turkish March.
Extractions: Arcadi Volodos almost seems to belong to the Golden Age of the piano virtuoso. His programme on this occasion would certainly stretch all but the most leonine of keyboard interpreters: he seems to positively thrive on vast swathes of semi-quavers (or demi-semi-quavers, for that matter). In fact, this event was part of a major tour: Volodos has already given this programme in Athens, Lucerne and Bologna. In December he will repeat it in four German cities (Bamberg, Berlin, Wiesbaden and Aachen). The sheer stamina of the man is amazing. Using a chair rather than the more usual stool, Volodos breathes a quiet confidence as he approaches his instrument: you just know, before he even sits down, that you are in the safest of hands. Programming Brahms Theme and Variations in D minor to begin with was a stroke of genius. This piece (the composers own transcription of the slow movement of his String Sextet No. 1 in B flat, Op. 18) requires exactly the qualities Volodos imbued it with. Here was playing of real integrity: the stately opening was richly toned and dignified. Volodos used a wide variety of tone-colour to shape the variations. He was not afraid to play drily (as in Variation 2). Only in the passionate third variation could the left hand have been even more sonorous.
Lucerne Piano Festival Report [PGW] harder too, though that may not be evident to the nonpianist listener. We were pleasedto have an opportunity to re-appraise arcadi volodos,left after being http://www.musicweb.uk.net/SandH/2001/Dec01/lucernepiano.htm
Extractions: Lucerne's late autumn annual festival is dedicated to the piano and to showing to what advantage it can be heard in the new KKL Concert Hall , which provides the possibility for acoustical tuning of the auditorium to each artist's own preference by adjustments to the reflective canopy over the stage and to the reverberation chamber's doors, a speciality of ARTEC . For musicians, numerous testimonials describe the rare pleasure of being able to hear their own playing very much as it sounds to the audience, which makes them eager to return to Lucerne. During the week I took the opportunity to sample seating positions in many parts of the hall, right up to the high fourth gallery. It is good for listening everywhere, with absolute clarity and projection of the quietest pianissimo , but I found the best sound towards the centre at each level.
Http://www.radio.cbc.ca/insite/TAKE_FIVE_TORONTO/1998/11/ CONCERT pianist arcadi volodos. EtudeTableau in c minor Op. Sergei Rachmaninov,composer arcadi volodos, pianist. Fragments in A Flat Major Duration 000158. http://www.cbc.ca/insite/TAKE_FIVE_TORONTO/1998/11/5.html
Extractions: [61'20"] full price by Johann D'Souza The British Guardian described this disc as "a debut with a collection of transcriptions, some of them [Volodos'] own ...[which] shows a real individuality and daring, and Volodos brings off the feat superbly. His technique is seamless, his ability not only to play but also to shape and project every one of the torrents of notes is breathtaking". Well, what prompted me to buy this disc was firstly the two pieces
Pianist - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia A performing classical pianist usually starts playing piano at a very arcadi volodos;André Watts; Earl Wild; Elisso Wirssaladze; Paul Wittgenstein; Maria Yudina; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pianist
Extractions: A pianist is a person who plays the piano A professional pianist can perform solo pieces, play with an orchestra or smaller ensemble , or accompany one or more singers or solo instrumentalists A performing classical pianist usually starts playing piano at a very young age, some as early as three years old. Many well-known classical composers were able pianists themselves; for example, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Ludwig van Beethoven Franz Liszt Frederic Chopin ... Robert Schumann , and Sergei Rachmaninov were all virtuoso pianists. Some pianists have special preferences as to which composer's music they play. Most western forms of music can make use of the piano. Consequently, pianists have a wide variety of forms and styles to choose from, including jazz classical music , and all sorts of popular music Well-known or influential classical pianists: See List of jazz pianists Well known blues pianists include: Ray Charles also jazz, and
Stars Der Klassik Von A Bis Z; Ticketinformation 2003/ 2004 Translate this page Alkaline Trio Amati Quartett András Schiff (ungarischer pianist) André Rieu AnnaMaria Kaufmann Arabella Steinbacher (Violine) arcadi volodos (Klavier) Arte http://www.ticketinformation.de/tour-kl.asp
Cheryl North Interviews Arcadi Volodos arcadi volodos, one of Russia s contemporary sons. Born in 1972 in St. Petersburg,volodos has hit the classical music world like a meteor. He is a pianist in http://www.northworks.net/c_volodos.htm
Extractions: Cheryl North Interviews Arcadi Volodos ANG Newspapers Classical Music Column - February 4, 2003. During a radio broadcast in 1939, Sir Winston Churchill said Russia is a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. These same words seem uncannily appropriate for describing Arcadi Volodos, one of Russia's contemporary sons. Born in 1972 in St. Petersburg, Volodos has hit the classical music world like a meteor. He is a pianist in the grand, 19th century tradition. Many critics, including myself, feel that he now stands alone on that lofty pinnacle of pianism vacated by such late piano titans as Franz Liszt, Sviatoslav Richter, and Vladimir Horowitz. Volodos alone among the young crop of superstar pianists seems to embody the all-too-rare combination of virtuosic keyboard athleticism with profound musical intelligence and lyric sensibility. But, after a brief conversation with him following his solo recital at Davies Symphony Hall last Sunday, Churchill's words about Russia resonated in my mind. Volodos is short, but stocky, and his head is crowned with a luxuriant mass of dark hair. Heavy black eyebrows frame his large expressive eyes. Although he appears downright heroic when at the piano, in person after the concert, he seemed shy, even a little ill-at-ease, with the mass of admirers waiting to greet him. He smiled courteously and spoke bits of English, a little French, and a lot of Spanish and Russian to his many local well-wishers, many of whom were local Russian expatriates. He also posed patiently, albeit a little stiffly, for the shutter-bugs among them.
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.3 -- Arcadi Volodos The solo part is the test of any pianist, and the rich orchestration, with many solo thatit should now pass to the newest member of the pride, arcadi volodos. http://www.sonyclassical.com/music/64384/notes.html
Extractions: Ever since the days when genteel ladies swooned under the spell of Franz Liszt and superstitious Genoese averted their gaze from the "evil eye" of Nicolò Paganini, the great virtuoso performers have held a special place in musical history. It is not just a matter of right notes and wrong, nor even of fire and thunder. Today, most contestants in international competitions can boast a Liszt piece, a Rachmaninoff concerto, or a Paganini Caprice. What separates the great virtuosi from the rest is a mixture of dazzling technique and sensitive artistry, of power with poetry, and an almost mystical blend of those qualities that emphasizes each attribute. The Third Concerto was composed in 1909 as a calling-card for his first American tour, and the composer, whose time was already strictly rationed between composing and performing, practised the solo part on a "dumb" piano while crossing the Atlantic. The tour included solo recitals, concertos, and conducting engagements on the East Coast as a prelude to the première of the Concerto with the New York Symphony under Walter Damrosch on November 28, 1909. The following January, Rachmaninoff repeated it, this time with the New York Philharmonic directed by Gustav Mahler, who expressed enthusiasm for the score and insisted on exceptional overtime to prepare the orchestra. Because Rachmaninoff composed in the tradition of Tchaikovsky and Rimsky-Korsakov, there is a natural assumption that his themes are derived from traditional sources, but he denied this absolutely, writing to Joseph Yasser: "...The first theme of my Third Concerto is borrowed neither from folk song forms nor from church sources. It simply 'wrote itself'! If I had any plan... I was thinking only of sound. I wanted to 'sing' the melody on the piano... and to find a suitable accompaniment.... That is all!"
Rachmaninoff: Piano Concerto No.3 -- Arcadi Volodos This new recording captures the excitement of pianist arcadi volodos acclaimedinterpretation of the Rachmaninoff Concerto No.3 in D minor for Piano and http://www.sonyclassical.com/music/64384/main.html
Salzburg Festival 2004 - ARTISTS The pianist has recently been heard in recital in Toulouse, Paris, Munich, Kiel,Bremen, Dresden, Rotterdam, Barcelona, Valencia, and Seville. arcadi volodos http://www.salzburgfestival.at/kuenstler_fotoserie.php?kuenstlerid=126&lang=2
NPR : Performance Today For Wednesday, October 21, 1998 pianist arcadi volodos (AHRkah-dee VOH-loh-dohs), who makes his Carnegie Hall debutthis evening, plays transcriptions of two familiar piano worksWolfgang http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=4&prgDate=21-Oct-1998
NPR : Performance Today For Monday, April 3, 2000 pianist arcadi volodos (AHRkah-dee VOH-loh-dohss) plays Franz Liszt s transcriptionof Schubert s song Liebesbotschaft (LEE-bess-BOHT-shahft Love Message http://www.npr.org/rundowns/rundown.php?prgId=4&prgDate=3-Apr-2000
Actueel Nieuws Uit De Wereld Van Audio, Muziek En Video Jan de Kruijff, april 2004. Najaar 1997 bracht Sony een cd uit van een slechtsbij de achternaam genoemde jonge Russische pianist arcadi volodos. http://www.audio-muziek.nl/Fonografie Muziek/volodos.htm
Volodos By Arcadi Volodos At Jsbach.org Main Performer or Conductor arcadi volodos. RimskyKosakov-Cziffra, Prokofiev, Tchaikovsky-Feinberg,Mozart-volodos. Asa pianist I do not favor transcriptions http://www.jsbach.org/volodosvolodos.html
Extractions: Tchaikovsky-Feinberg,Mozart-Volodos Format: Compact Disc Record Label: Sony Catalog Number: Year Released/Recorded: Total Playing Time: Comments: E.C. Kaplan said: As a pianist I do not favor transcriptions, but I never found a published transcription, so I played this second movement of the 5th trio sonata for organ,from the 3 stave organ publication. Feinberg was faithful to the original intent but enlarged the whole timber of the work to a level of great power. Volodos is a young spirited player who obviously loves this short (9.29) organistic piano piece. I would like to be around to hear him play it after another 50 years Acknowledgements: Thank you to the following for submitting this recording and for your comments: Date First Submitted: Purchasing: Suggested Purchasing Sources
Music Reviews arcadi volodos rendition of the concerto is the third is a unifying conceptionto volodos approach that to state with certainty which pianist makes the http://www.hometheaterhifi.com/volume_11_1/music-classical-45-january-2004.html
Extractions: TCHAIKOVSKY PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 RACHMANINOFF SOLO PIANO WORKS ARCADI VOLODOS, PIANO BERLINER PHILHARMONIKER, SEIJI OZAWA SONY CLASSICAL SH 93067 (Hybrid SACD) Performance Sonics TCHAIKOVSKY PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 MENDELSSOHN PIANO CONCERTO NO. 1 LANG LANG, PIANO CHICAGO SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA, DANIEL BARENBOIM DEUTSCHE GRAMMOPHON B0000666-2 (Also available as a Hybrid SACD) Performance Sonics It is essential to explain how I have arrived at my sonic evaluations of these recordings. While both were auditioned on the same two-channel equipment, the Volodos and Kern versions arrived chez Serinus as hybrid multi-channel SACDs, while the Lang Lang came as a conventional two-channel CD. Some critics have noted that despite claims that the 16-bit, 44.1 khz two-channel CD layer of a hybrid SACD sounds identical to the same performance issued in conventional CD format, it often sound inferior. It has been postulated that the need of the laser to penetrate two layers of a hybrid SACD disc may be the cause of this diminution of sound quality. It is therefore impossible for me to state with absolute certainty that DG has performed a better recording job than Sony. Before I could speak with certainty, I would need to compare either the hybrid SACD versions of the Lang Lang and Volodos or the conventional CD version of both.
