Trio to perform Russian Masterpieces
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Cellist Dushy Perera
May 2nd will see the Lionel Wendt Theatre resound to the strains of Tchaikovsky’s monumental Piano trio—a work which the composer himself doubted would ever be written.
Russian pianist Maxim Puryzhinskiy, who thrilled Colombo audiences with his performance of Rachmaninov’s Piano Concerto No 2 last year, returns to make up one third of the trio performing this work. The rest of the ensemble comprises of Sri Lanka’s foremost musicians—violinist Ananda Dabare and cellist Dushyanthi Perera.
Tchaikovsky’s patron, Nadezhda von Meck, had long wanted him to compose a piano trio—a request he had consistently denied, claiming that the piano could never satisfactorily blend with the violin and cello. In 1881, however, Nikolai Rubinstein, one of Russia’s foremost pianists and pedagogues, died. Rubinstein had been Tchaikovsky’s most important professional and personal mentor, and his death affected Tchaikovsky deeply. He decided to write a work in memory of his friend–something with a prominent piano part, and thus was born Tchaikovsky’s only piano trio: one of the most unique and significant works in this genre.
Tchaikovsky wrote the trio in two large movements: a massive sonata-allegro and an extended set of variations. The main theme of the opening movement is a sombre and heart-rending statement of loss, and the elegiac character of the entire work is unmistakable. The piano part is virtuosic throughout, and Rubinstein who was a fabulous pianist would probably have loved performing it.
The evening’s music will include more late-romantic masterpieces—lush and emotional as you could wish for. Puryzhinskiy will also perform Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons (May) and Rachmaninoff’s perennially popular Prelude in C sharp minor, and accompany Ananda Dabare and Dushyanthi Perera in Tchaikovsky’s Meditation in D minor and Rachmaninov’s Vocalise respectively.
The Russian Masterpieces concert takes place on May 2nd at the Lionel Wendt Theatre and is presented by the Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka and sponsored by the Earle De Fonseka Trust as part of the Trust’s Chamber Music Concert Series. Box plan and tickets are available at the Lionel Wendt.