ROMAN RUDNYTSKY - A Moving And Energising Concert

A Concert by American Pianist

Roman Rudnytsky

     We didn’t expect to be so moved and energised by a pianist playing classical music, but Roman Rudnytsky did just that, he is one of the world's great classical pianists, and the US Consulate General has to be commended for organising this special evening of music with restraint, simplicity and dignity. 

     A Moving And Energising Programme - The two hour programme was so unusual. So varied. - Rachmaninoff, Beethoven, Chopin, Gershwin, Ravel, Liszt and Gottschalk - by the same pianist on the same evening. 

     Roman Rudnytsky, briefly and lucidly introduced the music and the composer that he was going to play; and with each introduction gave the audience a clear and palpable idea of the piece. Before he played the Horowitz transcription of Modest Mussorgsky’s ‘Pictures at an Exhibition’, he explained what a transcription was, how the great piano virtuoso Horowitz was the only one who could have worked on and played a transcription of this original piano composition that was played by an orchestra, and how the piece ‘The pictures at an exhibition’, was about the first and only exhibition of paintings by Mussorgsky’s friend, and how each picture was translated to music, and how a viewer walks between pictures; so when Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition” was played, one could actually imagine the different pictures that the music was about, and one knew when the viewer of the picture was walking to the next picture, it was so graphic! And since it was a Horowitz transcription, it was a very demanding piece of music to play, but Roman Rudnytsky, played with supreme mastery of the instrument; so expressive and so powerful.

     Roman Rudnytsky performed Beethhoven’s “Sonata in E Flat’, opus 27. No 1. All four movements were played without a break, Rachmaninoffs ‘Preludio, from Bach’s Partita No.3’ for solo violin, Frederyk Chopin’s ‘Barcarolle’, op. 60, George Gershwins Jazz tinged transcription for solo piano of ‘Rhapsody in Blue’, Maurice Ravel’s ‘Pavane’, and Franz Lizst’s ‘Hungarian Rhapsody No 14’. Roman played two beautiful, unusual compostions by Louis Moreau Gottschalk, the first called ‘L’Union’ and the one he played last was called ‘The Banjo’. This piece was a tour de force of piano technique, and showed his great virtuosity as a classical pianist. 

     Formidable Technique - Roman Rudnytsky is a great pianist. With an unusually varied repertoire, he was so masterfully confident that he did not have music or any sort of notes with him, and he displayed such focused artistry, playing with authority and flair; his touch sensitive when needed - to achieve a great delicacy of expression. Yet his playing was solid, thoughtful and full of power and speed; nonetheless, sensitively voiced and paced. It was a great experience for music lovers in the twin cities. Roman Rudnytsky is a true ambassador of music.      

  

  Presented by: US Consulate General, Hyderabad, in co-operation with: Hyderabad Western Music Forum and Marriot Hotel and Convention Centre. February 28^th 2010  

   Written for The Hyderabad Western Music Foundation www.hydmusic.com