Valentina Lisitsa – Live at the Royal Albert Hall
The Ukrainian pianist Valentina Lisitsa is perhaps the most striking example of how the Internet and, more recently, social media has created completely new opportunities for classical artists.
Without initially signing to a record company or tour promoter, her unique path to success has been through independently-released material published in her YouTube channel. With more than 45 million YouTube views, she is one of the most viewed classical musicians on the web.
Valentina has just recently signed to a major label, Decca Classics, and her first album for the label was the Royal Albert Hall recital on June 19, which was speedily produced and released digitally on June 25 and on CD on July 3.
The speed of events has impressed even such a master of new media as Valentina herself:
– It’s just amazing how quickly Decca have been able to make my music available to all my many fans around the world, both old and new. Uploading my own videos to YouTube is pretty instant, but to think that people could download this live album less than a week after the concert, or buy an actual CD copy two weeks after that, is thrilling!
Paul Moseley, Managing Director, Decca Classics, said:
– Valentina is a truly unique artist. Her YouTube fame is genuine and well-deserved, and we are proud to be working with her as she reaches out to huge numbers of classical fans in a modern and very immediate way.
The Albert Hall program was chosen by her internet fans and is therefore, not surprisingly, quite much like a Greatest Hits of classical piano.
The album at amazon.co.uk
Read the program notes for this concert.
Program
18:00 Introductory talk by Valentina Lisitsa
25:01 Liszt: Hungarian Rhapsody No. 12
36:32 Mozart: Fantasy in C minor K.475
48:09 Schubert-Liszt: Des Mädchens Klage
52:17 Schubert-Liszt: Der Doppelgänger
56:37 Schubert-Liszt: Erlkönig
1:01:39 Beethoven: Sonata, Opus 27, No. 2 “Moonlight”
1:18:15Intermission (Q&A with Valentina)
1:38:37 Rachmaninov: Etude – Tableau, Opus 39, No. 6
1:41:05 Rachmaninov: Prelude G major Op. 32 No. 5 “A lost paradise”
1:44:25 Rachmaninov: Prelude G sharp minor Op. 32 No. 12
1:46:38 Rachmaninov: Prelude B minor Op. 32 No. 10 “The abyss”
1:52:12 Rachmaninov: Prelude G minor Op. 23 No. 5
1:56:04 Scriabin: Two Poemes, Opus 32
2:00:11 Scriabin: Etude Opus 42, No. 3 “Mosquito”
2:01:03 Scriabin: Etude Opus 65, No. 1
2:04:03 Chopin: Nocturne in C minor, Opus 48, No. 1
2:09:33 Chopin: Nocturne in D flat major, Opus 27, No. 2
2:14:57 Chopin: Nocturne inE flat major, Opus 9, No. 2
2:19:01 Liszt: Totentanz S.525
Encores
2:35:10 Schubert-Liszt: Ave Maria
2:41:00 Liszt: La Campanella
Comments
Bravo Madame – an extraordinary document! I started to listen out of interest and curiosity and became hooked. I enjoyed your programme notes and intermission Q and A as well as your playing. You must inspire so many ‘home musicians’ to try harder, work harder, practice harder enjoy their music and reach for further heights.
Sincerely
David Alcock
Fantastic! She plays the piano divinely and excellent interpretation.
I’m a fan of hers. Congratulations to Alexei who encouraged her to success.
Wow, what a wonderfully well-crafted and performed recital!! Amazing clarity and control, yet full of emotions and expression. Congratulations and brava to VL!
A pianist “Par Excellence”! I have been a fan of Valentina Lisitsa since the first time I had heard her here in youtube. For me she is truly a wonderful pianist and muscian who deserves the best what one could imagine for a pianistic career. I am very impressed with her programm choices played live at the Royal Albert Hall and I am sure that the audience will agree it proves she can stand amoung the best!
My favorite living pianist for many reasons. She is down to earth and genuine. She loves Rachmaninov and Boesendorfer Pianos. I look forward to hearing more. Thank you for this special opportunity to see and hear the Royal Albert Hall Concert. Brava!
Totally brilliant. in a class with Horowitz. Moving, sensitive, extraordinarily accomplished, her own voice. A joy to listen, and to hear her own words about her work, her life. Hats off to a great, superbly expressive and great pianist!
It is amaizing, lovely, delightful. Outstanding brilliant performance. Her sound is so melodious, deep and clear. Bravo, Valentina, and thank you very much for the pleasure you give to people with your wonderful performance. I never heard better performance of Chopin, Rachmaninov, Scriabin and Hungarian Rhapsody 12
I have followed (via U-tube) this amazing pianist. A stunning performance.
What an extraordinary, beautiful soul! Her words and her music are incredibly honest, poetic and full of love. Valentina is humble, in awe of the music she brings to life in such powerful fingertips. A superb choice of music, profoundly moving and sensitive. Thank you for the privilege of hearing you play and to the people who recognized her genius and have brought it, live, to us.
Lorraine
As has been stated by other reviewers, I just loved her modesty!!! to speak like she did before such a concert (when a football match was on) is totally out of the norm of musicians who are frequently too full of themselves…Valentina, you deserve the best, you have won my heart both as a musician and as a humane person!!! <3<3
Só duas palavras:
Deslumbrante. Genial.
Beautifully presented. A true gift to our world! Thank you
John Louis Duffy
From this most deeply rural section of North America, let me manifest our realization even here that we are witnessing both her extraordinary recital and a document of unique history . Her introductory remarks as well as the revelatory autobiography at interval created an empathic, eager embrace with her audience. All who hear her are hopelessly enveloped in her pleasure dome and swallowed by a chasm of insatiable longing to
relive her wizardry endlessly. John L. Duffy, M.D. in Iowa, USA
A remarkable pianist. I especially admire her beautiful tone, admirably suited to the particular style of each composer. Not only excellent execution technically, but also she reflects a deep understanding of the music she is playing. A joy to listen to. Her warmth and and love of music are beautifully communicated in her comments to the audience.
Marian