In an era when unorthodox programming is the rule rather than the exception, pianist Alexander Gavrylyuk’s recital of canonical favourites came as a warm hug at the end of a similarly warm spring day.

Opening the program, the Andante from J. S. Bach’s Italian Concerto had a meditative solemnity befitting the grandeur of the venue, Sydney’s Great Synagogue. Gavrylyuk was the very image of concentration at the keyboard, drawing the listener into his world.

Gavrylyuk’s colouristic, highly personalised and (to some tastes) slightly Romanticised reading of Mozart’s Piano Sonata K. 330 had a touch of the great Vladimir Horowitz, to whom Gavrylyuk has often been compared. The first movement delighted with its meticulous attention to detail and crystalline passagework; the second was flowing and flexible, while the third brimmed with irrepressible energy.

Alexander Gavrylyuk. Photo supplied

The latter part of the program was given over to the Romantic repertoire, which is Gavrylyuk’s spiritual home.

Beginning a three-work Chopin set, Gavrylyuk performed the Fantasy Op. 49 with high drama. The opening funeral march exuded portentous gravitas, while the arpeggios leading into the faster main section had a preluding quality, as though the pianist were composing the music in the moment. In the main section, Gavrylyuk’s rapid runs and bravura octaves displayed blistering technical command.

The central Lento was flowing and lyrical, foregrounding the singing top line rather than the dense chorale texture beneath. The recitative-like passage before the coda veritably stopped time, reminding the listener of the historical links between the fantasy genre, improvisation and dreaming.

Gavrylyuk’s rendition of Chopin’s Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2 prioritised flow and forward motion. Here and throughout the program, Gavrylyuk’s fioriture sparkled like moonbeams on water.

Next, Chopin’s Fantasy-Impromptu Op. 66 – a true warhorse of the piano repertoire – proved a perfect vehicle for Gavrylyuk’s scintillating passagework and rich colour. The middle section, with its famous singing melody, had the tenderness of young love.
Two well-known works by Franz Liszt rounded out the program.

First was the Consolation No. 3 in D-flat major, again showcasing Gavrylyuk’s gorgeous lyrical tone.

The final item was the Tarantella from Liszt’s Venezia e Napoli. Here Gavrylyuk pulled out all the stops, making child’s play of the work’s virtuosic demands. The rapid repeated notes had spitfire precision, the runs were electric, the middle section basked in tonal warmth, and the climaxes were blistering.

As an encore, Scriabin’s Étude in C-sharp minor Op. 2 No. 1 was a poetic close, full of ravishing nuance in the inner voices.

This was a recital of irresistible warmth and heart by a pianist who is every bit the great virtuoso. Australians are privileged to have Alexander Gavrylyuk so frequently on our shores.

Alexander Gavrylyuk plays Live at Yours at the Toorak Synagogue, Melbourne on 12 October.