Vladimir Feltsman will perform the complete Mozart Sonata cycle on the fortepiano at the New School in a series of concerts over five evenings September 28 — October 12.
Its time to put to rest the image of Vladimir Feltsman as the émigré virtuoso of the Russian school of pyrotechnics. Mr. Feltsman has spent the better part of last decade (when not circling the globe as one of the great masters of the Russian school of pyrotechnics) redefining his art through solo performances of Bach, Mozart and Schumann. He has also built a reputation as a teacher in New York City and over the last decade as the Artistic Director of the program PianoSummer at SUNY New Paltz.
Mr. Feltsman now further extends his distance from tradition by leaving the grand piano and performing on the grand piano's earlier evolutionary step, the fortepiano.
When a performer of Feltsman's caliber devotes this level of effort to the fortepiano it underscores the maturation of the historically informed or period-music debate and rightly refocuses the center of interest on the music itself. The two types of keyboard instruments produce vastly different sort of sound. The fortepiano has a more “bell-like” tone, the sound is fast and the duration of the notes is shorter, so players generally have to adjust their interpretation and concentrate on shorter expressive sequences and details.
The more powerful concert grand, on the other hand, with its more colorful sonority and sustained notes completely changes Mozart's original ideas, perhaps Mozart would have agreed, perhaps not.
Mr. Feldman has chosen to step into an ongoing debate of specialization and musicianship, we look forward to his brand of engagement.
Mr. Feltsman will perform the cycle on a replica of Mozart's favorite fortepiano, the Walter fortepiano, which was built for Mr. Feltsman by master American piano builder Paul McNutly.
The first concert will take place at The New School's Tishman Auditorium, with additional concerts taking place September 30, October 3 and October 10 at Mannes Concert Hall. The final concert will be performed October 12 at Tishman Auditorium.