….runs rings around Lang Lang
Those are Peter Dobrin’s words from his review of pianist Arnaldo Cohen’s Philadelphia recital in November of last year. Yes, he is talking about technique, and goes on to say that “ precisely because technique is such a firmly settled question in Cohen’s playing, he was able to draw attention to so many other lovely aspects of his persona.”
“He’s a stylish musician, though not a mannered one. He’s powerful but not percussive. He emphasizes organization and structure, though the freedom of his tempos breaks through when it serves an expressive purpose.”
Cohen plays two recitals in Portland next week and also leads a master class on Saturday evening at Sherman Clay/Moe’s Pianos. Check the PPI website for program details and for information about the master class.
He features Liszt’s B Minor Sonata on both Sunday afternoon and Monday evening here. Back to Dobrin for comments on the Liszt: “It’s a Cohen signature piece, one of those matches between player and repertoire in which one seems to complete the other. And again, the technique, as impressive as it was, receded in relation to the more important feat of uncovering musical meaning.”
Arnaldo Cohen is one of the giants of the piano world. His understanding of inner lines and textures in music and his sense of structure is remarkable.
You can find Dobrin’s Philadelphia Inquirer website - philly.com - review here.