'15 HONENS SEMIFINALS: Luca Buratto | Solo Recital

Luca Buratto
Italy
2015 Honens Prize Laureate

00:33 SCHUMANN Fantasy in C major Op. 17
30:47 LIGETI Étude No. 15 Book 3 'White on White'
35:19 DEBUSSY l'isle joyeuse
41:51 LIGETI Étude No. 16 Book 3 'Pour Irina'
45:49 PROKOFIEV Sonata No 7 in B-flat major Op. 83
1:04:51 SCHUMANN Davidsbündlertänze Op. 6 No. 14 Zart und singen

[mariocesarsilveira]

Luca, fui grande amigo do seu avô Andrea... sou seu fã desde que vc era garoto e agora fiquei muito feliz em encontrá-lo no youtube. Te voglio bene, Mario Cesar e Irma

[josephlaredo]

Let's give the man a more considered appraisal, as his years of hard work and study surely merit.
The Schumann begins very well, with that sense of (emotional) abandon entirely appropriate to that composer. Buratto is not afraid to 'lose himself' in the reflective moments (try him from 3:00) or to 'let go' at climaxes (e.g. at 4:26); he has a secure enough grasp of the overall structure to know that it will not be compromised by such 'indulgences'. In fact, I've not heard a more convincing account of this long and disparate movement. The outer sections of the second movement could perhaps have greater variety of touch; they're rather relentless (I see this movement as the excitement of impending togetherness after the pain of separation evoked by the first movement, the third being the joy of being together again, with possible erotic overtones ...). His abandon in the (treacherous) coda is, however, spectacular. For me the final movement is a relative disappointment, lacking inwardness and intensity; the final climax is almost brutal. Buratto should perhaps spend less time practising and more making love?
The Debussy (I'm passing on the Ligeti, as I don't get his music at all) is arguably also about love-making (listen to Horowitz's recording for the most erotic piano-playing you'll ever hear), so the same comment applies; it's all too pianistic. And too loud.
Oh, dear, Prokofiev 7 again! Must everyone use this as a competition piece? Well, Buratto plays it well enough, but I don't sense the pain and suffering behind the notes.
Let's hope he goes on to play the repertoire he identifies with instead of the things he's been led to believe the 'public' want to hear. Then he'll have something meaningful to say to us.