Alexander Gadjiev acclaimed at the Viotti Festival

We are delighted to share that Alexander Gadjiev received outstanding acclaim at the closing concert of the 28th season of the Viotti Festival in Vercelli on 23 May 2026.

In a demanding solo recital, Gadjiev performed works by Edvard Grieg, Frédéric Chopin, Maurice Ravel and Modest Mussorgsky, concluding the programme with the monumental Pictures at an Exhibition. The recital also featured selections from Grieg’s Lyric Pieces, Chopin’s Ballade No. 4 in F minor, Op. 52, and three pieces from Ravel’s Miroirs.

In a review for Corrierebit, Bruno Busca described the evening as “a truly memorable concert” and praised Gadjiev as “one of the great pianists of our time.”

Particular attention was given to his interpretation of Grieg:

“Technical agility and clarity of sound, exquisitely calibrated control of timbre and dynamics, and interpretative sensitivity for the most intensely lyrical and deeply intimate aspects: these are the pianistic virtues Gadjiev brought to ‘his’ Grieg, among the finest performances we have heard in recent years.”

The review also highlighted Gadjiev’s distinctive sonic imagination and his ability to treat the piano orchestrally:

“Extraordinary is the pianist from Gorizia’s gift for orchestration, in the constantly dialogic and balanced relationship between left and right hand, from which arises a rich interplay of timbre, harmony, and dynamics.”

His dazzling virtuosity was particularly evident in the works of Ravel:

“With Olympian ease, he mastered lightning-fast scales, sparkling arpeggios, precise chords and an unrivalled command of trills and ornamentation.”

The review further praised Gadjiev’s profound understanding of the nostalgic and poetic dimensions of the music, as well as his ability to create an exceptionally rich and nuanced spectrum of sound colours.

After approximately ten minutes of enthusiastic applause, Gadjiev responded with three encores, bringing the 28th season of the Viotti Festival to a memorable close.

 

Source: Bruno Busca, Corrierebit, 24 May 2026 (Read the original article)