Such energy! Such Passion! American Mark
Nadler’s performance is utterly captivating. It is also highly
idiosyncratic. Yes, he expertly provides piano snippets of Russian
composers famous and not so famous. He does this with wit and
panache.
There is more to his act than simply
cataloguing composers. He links Russian melodies with the American
Broadway show tradition especially in the music of Gershwin. He has
a strong and dramatic singing voice.
He is also something of a showman, with a
bit of soft shoe shuffle whilst seated at the piano, and timing the
precise moment to play Scriabin’s mystic chord. There are moments
of pathos when he refers to the harm that Stalin wreaked on a whole
generation of composers because music had to fit ideological
requirements.
This is no serious, academic exposition but
a joyous celebration of music from a complete entertainer.
****
|