Julia Lezhneva en Alexander Melnikov met Rachmaninoff

Julia Lezhneva and Alexander Melnikov

Soprano Julia Lezhneva and pianist Alexander Melnikov have already recorded a Rachmaninoff CD together. A special feature of that recording is that Melnikov plays on Rachmaninoff's own Steinway grand piano. That instrument will not be transported from Weggis, Switzerland, to the Concertgebouw for their recital, but this approach illustrates the conscientiousness with which these musicians handle the notes. Their soundscape is shaped by specific instrumentation, close to the source. The celebrated musicians are performing together for the first time in the Kleine Zaal.

Rachmaninoff

A vocal recital centered on a single composer: it remains a daring undertaking. With Rachmaninoff, it works surprisingly well, thanks to the many facets of his personality. We journey through nature, love, faith, and loneliness; in Opus 34 from 1912, even the political unrest of the time lurks beneath the surface. Several works for solo piano provide variety. Lilacs , written ten years earlier, reveals Rachmaninoff’s fondness for the flowers he gladly accepted after a recital. Thus, a carefully constructed portrait of an emotional man emerges.