Victor Maslov gave his first recital in Shropshire on 25th June 2024 in St Alkmunds Church, Shrewsbury. He appeared courtesy of the Keyboard Charitable Trust (KCT), a world-wide charity that supports the most promising international pianists early in their careers. Previous beneficiaries of the KCT include Evgeny Kissin, Anna Fedorova, Mariam Batsashvili and Paul Lewis, to name but a few. The KCT have recognised the support given by Shrewsbury audiences to young international pianists and have offered to sponsor two recitals a year in Shrewsbury from some of their most gifted artists.
Victor is a 25-year-old Russian pianist who has been praised as “one of those people who is close to all-round mastery of his repertoire” by the New York Concert Review, following his recital at Carnegie Hall, New York. Victor has appeared as a soloist at such renowned venues and festivals as the Royal Festival Hall, Queen Elizabeth Hall, Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall, Cadogan Hall, Great Hall of Moscow Conservatoire, Smetana Hall and Rudolfinum.
Victor plays with authority and confidence, concentrating on playing to his very best and honouring the composer and the time in which it was written. He started with Haydn's Sonata in B Minor, written in the late 18th Century. The sonata is full of innovation and melancholy and Victor's playing showed the full emotional depth of the work.
Many of us were new to Janacek's Pieces from An Overgrown Path and it was helpful that Victor gave us some background to these atmospheric pieces. Members of the audience commented afterwards how much they had enjoyed hearing them for the first time.
Finally, Victor played the 8 Etudes-Tableau Op.33 by Rachmaninov. This music is not for the faint-hearted performer. The final four Etudes, in particular, are virtuoso pieces that call for unconventional hand positions, wide leaps for the fingers and considerable technical strength from the performer. Each piece has an individual mood and passionate character that pose musical problems that demand a strong technique. Victor seemed unphased and gave a masterful account of these fiendishly difficult compositions.
If Victor is anything to go by, the KCT recitals in Shrewsbury should prove a veritable feast of talent. Victor is an intense and modest pianist who plays with total commitment. This was a recital to savour and remember.