BRILLIANT PIANIST

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 139, 15 June 1933, Page 3

BRILLIANT PIANIST

MR. PAUL VINOCRADOFF

' The brilliant Russian pianist, Mr. Paul Vinogradoff, gave a most enjoyable recital at the Blue Triangle Hall last night. The programme he presented was worthy of a larger audience, and it is certainly; not to the credit of Wellington mueiclovers (real or alleged) tliat they have to -wait for the heralding of entrepreneur* before they will recognise an accomplished performer. Mr. Vinogradoff ba« all the attributes of many performer* with greater names, and his efforts in the cause of music are worthy of muck wider attention than they are' receivingThe programme presented last night illustrated the pianist's convincing artistry. He approaches the music he is playing | with sincerity and he interprets it with insight and a cense of the poetic. His playing of Beethoven's "Moonlight'Sonata was most impressive. The opening adagio sang in a meditative cantabilc^ appropriately suave, seductive, and blissful. The allegro moved at a good pace, and the sforzando accents of the trio never lost their sense of proportion. With, Seriabin's Sonata-Fantasy, op. 19, • Mr. Vinogradoff seemed to share a pronounced affinity, and he avoided any ambiguity in revealing its,poetic beauty. Seven Etudes by Chopin were thrown off effortlessly and attractively. 'The earae composer's"Berceuso" was played with delicate refinement and finish of phrasing, and the waltz iv A Flat was full of fanciful tinting. There was a wide variety of mood in five preludes composed. by Mr. Vinogradoff himself. Each of these little works reveals musicianship, aud they were all impressively presented. A bracket. by Rachmaninoff, "Melody" in E Major and "Polka do W.R.," were finely conceived. The programme closed with four numbers by Liszt, "Waldesrauschen" (Forest Muiinurs), ' "Gnpmenreigen" (Dance of the Gnomes), "Liebestraum," and "Venezia c Napoli" (Tarantella). In tlieise the pianist was at. perfect case in the estremes of technique, and he eloquently proclaimed the spirit of romance in the music in a. manner far beyond mere technical efficiency. At the conclusion of the programme, Mr. Vinogradoff was accorded a prolonged ovation and responded with two acceptable encores. .