Is this the next Valentina Lisitsa?
NewsBefore she became a propagandist for Vladimir Putin’s illegal invasions, the Ukrainian-born pianist Valentina Lisitsa made her name as the most-viewed classical pianist in the early years of Youtube. She followed up this breakthrough with a self-financed Decca recording of the Rachmaninov concertos with the London Symphony Orchestra, a set of real distinction.
Then she got distracted by politics. Today, she is banned in many countries.
So now meet Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova. She has 36 million views on Youtube for her playing of Rachmaninov’s second concerto and is about to release it on the Dutch label, Channel Classics.
See what you think.
Her political statement:
‘Since the 24th of February, 2022, the world as I had known it was turned upside down. Unimaginable, inhumane terror is ongoing in Ukraine and is becoming more cruel and terrifying every day. It was hard to function during the first weeks of the war as the shock and despair were too strong, but the urge to do something, to help the suffering people in Ukraine in any way possible, was much stronger.
‘The war is making the world black and white, blinding people with hatred and pain. In times like this I think it’s very important to hold on to our humanity and not to judge people by their passports but by their actions, their values and what they are standing for. The same goes for Russian composers. They cannot be the ones to blame for the actions of the government of Russia. They should be looked at as
individual people and their personal stories have to be told. In fact, many of them were suffering and suppressed by the former Soviet regime and many were forced to emigrate and live the rest of their lives in exile. Nowadays I feel that playing Rachmaninoff is even more relevant than ever. He himself was a victim of the Russian government as he was forced to flee his homeland together with his family
during the Revolution in 1917 and he spent the rest of his life living in the US.
I believe that the music of Rachmaninoff has an enormous emotional power that gives hope, raises the spirit and gives us strength to go on. It is full of humanity and belongs to all of us in the world.”
I also heard her Rach 3. IMO, she’s very good , but not spectacular.
Yunchan’s Rach 3 has 5.3 million views in less than 1 month.
Now, he’s spectacular!
This post is like watered-down gruel: thin and unsavoury.
nothing spellbinding – wrong notes, too many – lacks depth and intensity. her phrasing is not musical at all and she does things that are not written in the score. she doesn’t play in the spirit of rachmaninov and her sound is tiny to say the least – but thank god there are mics! regarding VL her mistake was to open her big mouth and get involved in things she doesn’t obviously understand much, if she would have kept away from cheap politics and be diplomatic at all costs she would be still around. indeed she’s been declared persona non grata in many venues. i still remember Richter playing this concerto live and after a few bars my imagination was on fire, he had that power to electrify the audience and take you on a beautiful journey full of colors and shades, nuances and always bearing in mind what the composer had in mind when he wrote the piece. utmost respect for the score and the performance. the good old times!
Rather unfair headline, given Lisitsa’s brand these days isn’t her piano playing but her Putin support.
I remember when Lisitsa was lauded in this blog, how things have changed. Anna Fedorova sounds perfectly decent to me; hopefully she will be accorded greater respect.
Um…I tried hard to find something wrong with her statement, but it seems pretty sincere to me. Did I miss something?
Here are some extracts from internet. Judge yourself. From Verbier page: “”The 2022 Festival opens with a Concert for Peace calling for solidarity, and inclusion of musicians of all nations. Rodion Shchedrin’s Second Piano Concerto is at the heart of the programme, performed by Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova, alumna of the Verbier Festival Academy (2012 and 2017) with the Verbier Festival Orchestra, conducted by Gianandrea Noseda.” FYI: “Dec 16, 2017 — Vladimir Putin signed an Executive Order awarding Rodion Shchedrin”, “Putin welcomes composer Rodion Shchedrin during an awards ceremony marking Russia Day at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia June 12, 2019.” and so on..
AND…. “May 12, 2022 — Ukrainian pianist Anna Fedorova is set to take to the Royal Albert Hall stage this summer alongside the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra.”..
“Newly formed Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra will tour to raise …
….The program will include Valentin Silvestrov’s Seventh Symphony; Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2, performed by Anna Fedorova…
I don’t get your point. And besides, the video you refer to is on Avotros Klassiek, which has over 300k followers. Federova’s channel is only 2k… and is it the numbers of views that makes a performance or an artist good and interesting? Valentina’s recital in Geneva in January 2020 was very fine, notwithstanding her political beliefs. As Anna writes, music and passports… (we still listen to Cortot, although his political views…) The situation is very serious, and this is reflected in Anna’s quote. The cancel culture that took place in March 2021 and further was absurd and stupid, and as useless as the actual economical sanctions. People still suffer and die.
What cancelled culture are you talking about?
This pianist is not behaving like Valentina. There is no reason to be comparing the two. Federova has written a valid and moving statement explaining how she experiences playing Russian music while her country is being destroyed by the war Russia has declared against her homeland. Well crafted and beautifully said.
Don’t care much for either of them, though I’ll generally take Lisitsa over Federova, politics aside. If I considered politics before listening, I’d never have herd Böhm, Dick Strauss, Ansermet, Karajan, or Gieseking, just to name a few. They’re musicians, not saints.
I personally am not able to separate the inner values from the performance. To me, inner psychological landscape and personality traits can be all heard. Karajan made me shudder since i was a kid.
you wouldn’t listen to Wagner either!
I imagine Rachmaninov’s quality of tone to carry far and wide, freely, naturally, as if effortlessly or at least not laboriously. The horizontal aspects played warmly and sincere, nuanced and heartwrenching.
I personally don’t enjoy her (to me) tense, even quite crass playing. More she pushes, flatter the sound.
In these times high amount of views are not necessarily sign of a profound greatness..
A very poor substitution for Lisitsa. Fedorova is a medium class pianist and an uninteresting musician. Lisitsa is at least and incredibly virtuosic pianist, if nothing else. Fedorova is not even that. One of millions….kind of a good conservatory student playing, and not the best on that level either.
Ok, let me get this straight, you don’t want to let her play because she supports an opposing viewpoint. Not because she is not talented? What? Who cares? Her beliefs are hers. Her music is for the world. She is a native Ukrainian. She has a right to her opinions as I do. I don’t have to agree with her opinions to be overwhelmed by the beauty of her talent. Where is the freedom of speech America was founded on? Let her be, let her play her piano!
Many adored Vladimir Putin, but the war made change. Putin represents evil.