Valery Kuleshov - AMAZING!

[wzkit]

Has anyone heard this guy? I just attended a AMAZING recital by him. He played:
1. Pletnev's transcription of Tchaikovsky's Sleeping Beauty
2. Four of Earl Wild's transcriptions of Rachmaninoff's Songs
3. Chopin's Ballade no.1,
4. Scriabin's Black Mass Sonata, Etudes Op 42 no.3, 4 and 5,
5. Horowitz's Danse Excentrique and Carmen Variations.

I have been gushing about him all night. Put simply, this one of most amazing, if not THE most amazing recital I've been to in years. Not only was the pyrotechnics amazing, but what was more amazing was his SOUND. His sound is something that has to be heard, rather experienced live, and is near Horowitzian proportions in terms of the sheer dynamic range and depth. I was in the circle seats and could feel my seat vibrating as he pelted out those huge bass notes. Whereas many other Horowitz copiers simply copy the more superficial aspects of Horowitz's playing (i.e. the fast and loud bits, and often badly), Kuleshov has in many ways completely assimilated the style of the master - the finger pyrotechnics, the huge fortisimmos (especially the bass notes which Horowitz was so famous for), the ultra-pianissimos etc, even certain aspects of his musicianship. I could go on and on.

Yet despite the similarities, this pianist has his own voice. His sound seems warmer than what I've heard of Horowitz on recordings, while his phrasing, though sensous like Horowitz, was unmistakeably his own. His Sleeping Beauty was in many ways the equal of Pletnev's own recording, the Scriabin had a bloodcurdling intensity (especially Op 42 no.5 and the Black Mass Sonata), and I must say I enjoyed the Horowitz's transcriptions better than Volodos's!

Put simply, words alone cannot describe the overwhelming excitement I felt tonight. Its easy to get a little jaded after listening to thousands of recordings by the greats, and most live recitals bore me these days. Listening to Kuleshov brought a sense of childlike wonder and amazement, made it seem all so fresh again. Kuleshov has recorded most of Horowitz's trancriptions in his CD Homage a Horowitz. I must say the recording simply does not do him justice as it does not capture his unique tone and the raw excitement of his playing (he sounds a tad cautious in that CD)

Has anyone heard this amazing virtuoso?

[orlandopiano]

He was the best pianist at the Van Cliburn a few years back, but didn't win. I believe he did the Carmen Variations there as well.

[mephisto]

Indeed he is really talented.

[brewtality]

I haven't heard him live but have heard his some of his Horowitz transcriptions. I thought the Carmen was good but the stars and stripes! Terrible!! also his textual changes added nothing.