GeNIA (so spelt, no surname) is a young Ukrainian pianist distantly related to the uber-pianist Horowitz; and the draw of her recital in this new Regent s Park concert series run by Markson Pianos was the inclusion of music
GeNIA
St Mary's Munster Square
GeNIA (so spelt, no surname) is a young Ukrainian pianist distantly related to the uber-pianist Horowitz; and the draw of her recital in this new Regent's Park concert series run by Markson Pianos was the inclusion of music by Gabriel Prokofiev, London-raised grandson of the great composer.
Two descendents from such celebrated names looked like an interesting combination, and they were. Prokofiev jnr works in pop/commercial music but occasionally steps back into the classical world of his gene pool and had in this case produced a piece that reformulated his grandfather's prickly idiom into streetwise terms, quite effectively.
But with vacuously minimalist Japanese contemporary scores alongside poorly played Rachmaninov and Scriabin, the rest of the programme was disappointing.
Over-pedalled and with little sense of style, it didn't say much for the genes of Horowitz. And that GeNIA played it wearing what seemed to be an inflatable life-vest (no doubt with whistle attached for drawing attention to yourself) didn't help.
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