Nikolai Lugansky

hallo! I'd like to have your impressions about this pianist. Here three videos of different periods. Thanks, Jacques

the last 3 links don't work anymore. I've watched this two: While there's nothing to rave about in his technique, I find his tone to be quite pleasant. A fine and rather thoughtful pianist indeed. He has every right to play that way and it would still be beautiful. But if you're talking about what human can possibly do in terms of articulations, contrasts, etc, there seems to me to be something lacking in his playing..... The Scriabin is very well-played, and I can hardly ask for more. But the Liszt is just not convincing, especially the right hand. Richter would have played it faster and more agitating, and Horowitz (as far as I know he didn't leave any recording of that piece) would have played it with much more color and orchestration.

I think he's doing pretty well reminds me a bit of Brailowsky a good day nice and clean. As for the Liszt I'm less impressed too this piece is an obligation in some competitions and most pianists just kills it-it's all about speed and clarity and watch this. As the name evoces "Feux Follets" wildfire I think in english, it's a phenomen that used to be really scary and occult some hundred years ago and Liszt captured that incredibly well. All this is gone if played as a show-off piece. I prefere this version Cziffra certainly could play it double-speed but choosed not to.

I beg to differ, the Scriabin is NOT very well-played: it is superficial in both sound and expression. Look at his hands, jumping all over the place - even physically it's an expression of totally the wrong character. There's no inner tension, the piece doesn't sing, doesn't build. His hands are so busy jumping like bunny rabbits around the keyboard, they haven't a hope in hell of expressing a melodic line... As for the Liszt, it's an etude in double notes but I would say about 2/3 of the time the lower voice of the right hand simply you can even see it on the video, all the keys that don't even descend let alone sound. So it is quite brilliant, effective playing but again misses the heart of the piece both technically and musically... Sorry Nikolai, I must have got out of the wrong side of bed this morning! AFF