Igor Levit describes himself as a "Citizen. European. Pianist." - and indeed the charismatic, politically engaged artist, as he once told ZEIT, "does not want to be just the man who presses the keys." However, when he does press them, every evening becomes a piano masterclass. Such an event is now taking place at the Kulturpalast: The award-winning pianist presents a program, the second half of which is entirely dedicated to the great romantic piano repertoire. In addition to Liszt's famous "Dante Sonata," a selection of Mendelssohn's "Songs without Words," characterized by lyrical beauty, will be heard. Levit recorded these in 2023 as a deeply personal artistic response to the attacks on Israel. The first part of the concert is dedicated to Dmitri Shostakovich's Second Piano Sonata, composed in 1942 in memory of his teacher Leonid Vladimirovich Nikolayev. The impressive solo recital opens with Maurice Ravel's "Kaddish" - one of the most moving Jewish-inspired works in music history.
Igor Levit Piano
Maurice Ravel "Kaddisch" from "Deux mélodies hébraïques" (version for piano by Alexander Siloti)
Dmitri Shostakovich Sonata for Piano No. 2 in B minor op. 61
Felix Mendelssohn Bartholdy "Songs without Words" in E minor op. 62/3 (Funeral March), A minor op. 53/5 (Folk Song), A minor op. 62/5 (Venetian Gondola Song), A major 19/4 and E minor 102/1
Franz Liszt "Après une lecture du Dante". Fantasia quasi Sonata from "Années de pèlerinage. Deuxième année: Italie" S 161
Presented by the Sächsische Zeitung As part of TACHELES - Year of Jewish Culture in Saxony