In a perfect world, each of
us should be our own hero. But this
isn’t a perfect world so most of us need someone to show us the way toward a
courageous life without limits. Ana
Maria Trenchi Bottazzi is such a person. From
her near fatal car accident with its dire prognosis and a long, arduous and
miraculous recovery through carving out a brilliant and successful life here in
America, Dr. Bottazzi has triumphed again and again over seemingly
insurmountable adversity. This was
her 16th Carnegie Hall recital.
A world-class virtuoso with
an impeccable technique, the concert opened with the Bach-Liszt Prelude and
Fugue in a minor, BWV 543. Not one
of Liszt’s warhorse transcriptions, it was full of an elegance and shimmering
lyricism that set the tone for the entire program.
The Chopin Sonata No. 3 in
b minor, Op. 58 was the major work on the first half of the program.
Not as familiar as the better known second “funeral march” sonata, it
is filled with light and joy stemming from a happy and fulfilled period in the
composer’s life. The brilliance
and drama of the first movement, the airy quality of the second and driving
Finale were projected with ease and perfection by Dr. Bottazzi.
Technique was never an issue—never a concern.
It was always the music and the dramatic lyricism that lead this artist.
There are those rare times in a performance when one can sense the entire
audience seeming to hold its collective breath for fear of disturbing the mood
of the moment. Throughout the slow
movement the artist’s many-layered golden sound, perfect phrasing and
delicately balanced musical motion held the listeners spellbound.
The world premiere that
concluded the first half of the program, Margarita Zelenaia’s “Pierrot’s
Dreams”, was a rare treat. Theatrically
conceived, the states shifting between reality and dreams, disappointment and
hope were perfectly suited to the artist’s kaleidoscope of sound.
The enthusiastic response of the audience was a tribute to both the
composer and the artist.
The Mussorgsky “Pictures at an Exhibition” is an often-performed work.
Many gifted artists have attempted its colorful sketches but few have
realized them with the occasional whimsy or elegance or brilliance that they
deserve. The Horowitz, Richter and most recently the Pletnev
performances had set the standard. Dr.
Bottazzi’s contribution was clearly in their league but with her own stamp of
individuality. Not a phrase was
left imperfectly sculpted; not a flicker of light nor a shadow neglected and not
one moment of the massive drama of the “Baba Yaga’s Hut” or “The Great
Gate of Kiev” left uncovered and laid before the audience.
A pianist with the orchestra at her fingertips, Dr. Bottazzi’s
performance was responded to by a roar of approval and standing ovation by the
huge crowd of listeners. The three
encores, Liadov’s “Musical Snuff- Box”, the E-minor posthumous Waltz of
Chopin and the “Malambo” of Ginastera concluded one of the most memorable
concert of recent seasons.