Review: Konstantin Lifschitz begins Beethoven marathon in Hong Kong with delicacy and assurance
Russian’s playing in first of eight recitals of all 32 Beethoven piano sonatas showed technical proficiency, subtlety and shadings of colour, but also moments of harshness
Tackling a marathon takes perseverance, stamina and technical proficiency. At times it can be a physical and mental battle. And a marathon is what pianist Konstantin Lifschitz has taken on in performing all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas over six nights (and two matinees), in the first of the 2017-18 season of Spotlight Encounters at the University of Hong Kong.
Clad in all black, Lifschitz took a no-nonsense approach to the composer’s first four sonatas.
Barely allowing time for the opening applause to die away, he embarked on the arpeggiated opening of the first sonata, Op. 2, No. 1 in F minor. The marathon had begun.
Russian pianist to play all 32 of Beethoven’s piano sonatas, in order, over eight concerts in Hong Kong
Dutifully observing all the repeat markings, Lifschitz presented the opening movement with a restrained dynamic palette. He adopted a somewhat indulgent tempo in the slower second movement, yet showed technical proficiency throughout. Repeated sections were interpreted with subtle differences in colour, and shifts in emotional depth were always evident.
The final movement was taken at a frenetic pace, which at times resulted in a harshness of tone not ordinarily associated with these early sonatas.
While his first three sonatas are all dedicated to Beethoven’s teacher, Joseph Haydn, it is the second and third (No. 2 in A major and No. 3 in C major) that contain the more obvious musical echoes of his mentor’s wit and humour.