What did Alexander Scriabin have in common with Donald J. Trump? Small hands, that’s what.
Scriabin’s 1897 piano concerto was an instant hit with similarly endowed artists, although it also won approval from Sergei Rachmaninov, whose mitts were mega-sized. Despite these contemporary endorsements, it has hovered ever since on the repertoire fringes.
That may be due to uninspiring first movement, all meander and no meat. But the succeeding andante has one of the most memorable tunes in any piano concerto, as compelling as the big themes of Rachmaninov’s second and third. The pianist here is the unTrumpian Kirill Gerstein and his performance is utterly winning, full of depth, dazzle and delight.
Source: Opera stories from La Scena
