Bashkirov woos, does not marry

Piano master treats audience to world-class musicality

A pillar in the history of 20th century Russian pianists, Danenberg Artist-In-Residence Dmitri Bashkirov bestowed his gifts of mastery and musicality upon the Oberlin community this week.

His residency began Sunday afternoon with a solo recital including three selections of Mozart, nine Schubert-Liszt lieder, Prokofiev's "Romeo and Juliet at their parting," and six 'Visions Fugitives,' Six Preludes and Poeme Op.32, No.2 of Scriabin, and lastly three Rachmaninov 'Moment Musicaux.'

The audience's affection for Bashkirov was indicative in their enthusiastic request to hear more of his playing. The pianist himself did not hesitate to rattle off three encores, stretching the concert length to a full two hours.

As a seasoned performer, Bashkirov exhibited on Sunday the two disparate realms of pitfalls and benefits that come with being 'seasoned.' His performance of the Sonata movement in G minor, Minuet in D major and Presto in G minor of Mozart contained moments of startling detail and sparkling clarity.

There were, however, an equal number of moments which revealed Bashkirov's lack of preparation and loss of connection with the music. Communicable ideas, phrasing, and - yes, although less importantly - notes that may have been part of a Bashkirov recital 20 years earlier, never made it through the door of Finney Chapel, let alone to the stage.

The pianist seemed much more at ease with the romantic language of the Liszt transcriptions of Nine Lieder. Perhaps if played to an older audience, and especially one not filled with primarily jaded conservatory students, movements like "Standchen" wouldn't have left a dry eye in the place. As it stands, with this set of pieces Bashkirov gave something unforgettable, even monumental to everyone.

Bashkirov acheived international fame 44 years ago, when he received the "Grand Prix" at the Marguerite Long Competition in Paris. He has since performed with the major orchestras in Europe and the United States, as well as establishing a distinct chamber music career, collaborating with musicians such as the Borodin Quartet and, more recently, Gidon Kremer.

His teaching extends from the Moscow Conservatory to other residencies and masterclasses at the highly esteemed Paris Conservatoire, as well as the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Barcelona, Helsinki and Kalamazoo. One of his own principal teachers was the famous pianist, pedagogue, writer and composer Alexander Goldenweiser, a contemporary of Rachmaninov and Scriabin, and a friend of Leo Tolstoy.

This Russian lineage and stage-career longevity resounded forcefully in his executions of the Prokofiev, Scriabin and Rachmaninov. A living artifact of the Russian tradition, Bashkirov's interpretation of Prokofiev could not have been more alive and assertive.

In the Six Preludes and Poeme, Bashkirov showed listeners the complicated, passionate prose of Scriabin and - best of all - how it is to be spoken with necessity and urgency. The Rachmaninov 'Moments Musicaux' in E minor and C major displayed pure Russian technique and rapture, while the D-flat major remained stoic and calm.

Bashkirov has given four master classes this week to a group of selected pianists. He is very lively in a teaching setting, and even his witticisms spoke through the Russian-English translator. On the whole, students have enjoyed his approach and insight, as well as his focus on musicality and interpretation, not technique.