Tom Zalmanov at Steinway Hall, London for the Keyboard Trust
It was enough to see who was in the audience, at the Keyboard Trust concert of Tom Zalmanov at Steinways last night, to know that we were in for something special.
In fact this young Israeli pianist was the first to thank his Professor Ian Fountain (Rubinstein winner in 1989 together with Benjamin Frith – two British pianists winning joint first prize that year!) and a special thanks to Murray Perahia and Lady Weidenfeld who are following his career with helpful interest.
Studying for his Masters at the Royal Academy he not only demonstrated his notable pianistic credentials but also his intelligence and eloquence in the short conversation he had with Elena Vorotko, one of the artistic directors of the KT, at the end of his short showcase recital.
A programme based around Schubert’s revolutionary Wanderer Fantasy, the inspiration for the genius of Liszt and Wagner where already Schubert was pointing to a future that he was destined never to see.
Tom showed us the strength and tightly knit construction with a sense of architectural drive and shape that held the four movements as one glorified whole.
Even the whispered ‘Wanderer’ that the composer quotes in the Adagio was played with a string quartet texture that became part of a symphonic whole. Variations that were woven with beguiling whispered tones with a jeux perlé that flowed with such ease from his well trained fingers.
