“A courageous musician, at times he makes the case for his point of view without compromise but on the basis of a technique that isn’t just outstanding but that is also magnificently well developed,” enthused the jury of the Concours Géza Anda when it awarded Alexei Volodin first prize in 2003. Theirs proved to be a far-sighted observation, for Volodin, who appears on 26 November to perform Liszt’s First Piano Concerto, has made a name for his strong-willed approach to interpretation. “Onstage you need to have an attitude; otherwise you have no reason for being there,” he declares, adding, “There are many professional musicians, but only a few true artists.”

Alexei Volodin is one of the most important young exponents of the great Russian school of pianists. He studied in Moscow with Elisso Wirssaladze, a pupil of the legendary Heinrich Neuhaus, and his idols include Rachmaninov, Horowitz, Gilels, and Pletnev. “Our sound is grand, round, warm, and singing. Technical control and professionalism are considered of extremely high value.” Added to this is the need for Russian pianists “to play not just from the wrist but with the entire body and body weight”—without, however, giving off empty poses and airs. For example, remarks Volodin, Mikhail Pletnev “seems a tad boring when he walks onstage—yet he plays like a god.” For Volodin it really comes down to “recreating the truth and spirit of a piece of music anew.” After all, “a machine or a computer can be perfect. But in artistic matters it isn’t possible to be perfect, that would spell the end of every type of art. Instead of ‘perfection’ I prefer the concept of ‘inspiration.’”
On 26 November Volodin will appear with the Southwest German Radio Symphony Orchestra of Baden-Baden and Freiburg under Kirill Karabits to perform two of the trickiest works of the keyboard repertory: Franz Liszt’s First Piano Concerto and his notoriously fiendish “Dance of Death.”