April 27, 2025
Spivey Hall
Morrow, Georgia – USA
Pavel Kolesnikov, piano.
MOZART: Variations on a theme by Gluck
MOZART: “Adagio in F Minor” from Sonata in F, K.280
MOZART: Sonata in C Major, K.330
RAVEL: “Oiseaux tristes” from Miroirs
MOZART: Rondo in A Minor, K.511
RAVEL: “Une barque sur l’ocean” from Miroirs
MOZART: Rondo in F Major, K.494
RAVEL: Menuet Antique
MOZART: Rondo in D Major, K.485
RAVEL: Pavane pour une infant défunte
Mark Gresham | 2 MAY 2025
Russian-born pianist Pavel Kolesnikov performed a solo recital at Spivey Hall last Sunday evening that proposed juxtaposition of the clarity and elegance of Mozart’s classical style with the rich textures and impressionistic nuances of Ravel’s compositions, highlighting the contrasts and occasional parallels between the two composers.
Born in Novosibirsk, Russia, in 1989, Kolesnikov began his musical journey studying both piano and violin before focusing solely on piano. He gained international recognition after winning the Honens International Piano Competition in 2012 and has since established himself in London.
The printed program showed the first half to be all-Mozart. Opening with Mozart’s Variations on a Theme by Gluck, Kolesnikov followed that with a single movement, the “Adagio in F Minor” from the Sonata in F Major, K.280, but then unannounced suddenly segued into something quite different, which seemed to be Ravel but baffled members the audience, as comments among them made clear. We later learned it was an excerpt from Ravel’s “Oiseaux tristes” from Miroirs, which would open the program’s second half. Kolesnikov wrapped the first half with the Sonata in C Major K.330.
The program’s second half moved into a series of alternating character pieces and rondos, beginning with the aforementioned “Oiseaux tristes” of Ravel, but heard in full, followed by Mozart’s Rondo in A Minor, K.511. This back and forth between Ravel and Mozart continued for the remainder of the program: “Une barque sur l’ocean,” another piece from Ravel’s Miroirs, with Mozart’s Rondo in F Major, K.494 on its heels. Then came Menuet antique followed by Rondo in D Major, K.485. The second half closed with Ravel’s Pavane pour une infant défunte, although Kolesnikov returned to the stage for two encores that extended the pattern: Mozart’s “Rondo alla Turca” (from the Sonata in A major, K. 331) and a recently discovered Prelude that Ravel wrote for one of his piano students as a sight reading study.
At first glance, pairing Mozart and Ravel in an alternating recital program may seem unconventional, but the combination makes for an interesting dialogue between two composers separated by more than a century and united by some shared aesthetic sensibilities. Despite their differences in harmonic language, both are masters of formal clarity and refined expression. Mozart’s classical symmetry and transparent textures resonate with Ravel’s meticulous craftsmanship and controlled impressionism.
That said, the program was not very technically demanding, though it did beg for a depth of interpretative insight to fully convey each piece’s emotional and stylistic nuances. However, Kolesnikov’s interpretations, though competent, lacked the kind of compelling character that could have elevated the recital from an interesting presentation to a more profound musical experience. Kolesnikov played competently but, alas, fell short of the level of distinction that might have made the recital truly memorable.
This Spivey Hall recital is not the last Atlanta audiences will hear from Kolesnikov this year. In October, he will play one of the all-time greatest hits of the instrument, the Piano Concerto of Edvard Grieg, with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra. While it is a substantial work, it’s not a “killer” in terms of endurance or raw difficulty. Even so, we do look forward to experiencing firsthand how that performance plays out. ■
EXTERNAL LINKS:
- Pavel Kolesnikov: pavelkolesnikov.co.uk
- Spivey Hall: spiveyhall.org
Read more by Mark Gresham.
