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    After the playing of first 24 participants we can draw conclusion that the Russian participants are objectively stronger than all foreign participants who played this day. Whether the preliminary selection has given the results or the talented foreign pianists have stopped to come to the Tchaikovsky competition? I think we should address all these questions to the Selection board that have admitted such untalented persons to take part in the competition (we haven’t heard performings of such a low level for a long time already). Anyway, presently our pianists show quite different performance level.

   In the other hand, if one would like to appraise Russian participants abstractly or compare them with each other, it is indeed possible to have this or that claim to lay to every one of them. The lack of the musical initiative and of the personal playing is the main shortcoming.

   Eugene Brahman (#3, Russia) pleased the audience with his frankness and lyric playing. Maxim Filippov (#10, Russia) has a large experience of competition fight and he turned his performing at the competition into the small concert. I think only Sultanov has presented a real personal persual of the composition: the first movement of the Beethoven’s Sonata #23 in his interpretation (for now we can use this word in Sultanov’s case only) became a real sensation. Kirill Glavatskih (#20, Russia) appeared himself to be a strong pianist though absolutely boring musician. Victoria Korchinskaya-Kogan (#22, Russia) has astonished: her very high technique, delicate shade of playing brightened up the impression of this otherwise cheerless competition day. Vadim Rudenko (#24, Russia) who is audience’s favour (and maybe the jury’s one too) finished the second day of the competition auditions. He seemed to be a less bright pianist than Korchinskaya, rather a showman than a classic performer. Though it is impossible not to appraise his virtuosity.

Anonymous

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   I would like you tell about the brightest impressions of two days. As a rule we remember the best and the worst. I begin from the second ones.

   The playing of Firsov E. (USA), Ivanov A. (Belorusia), Erzhakovsky R.(Kazahstan), Lim Chong NG (Malaysia) was quiet outstanding. Galios from Greece is a leader in this category of amateurs (so-called). It was for the first time when I heard the whistle in the grand Hall of the Moscow Conservatory. He has a "typical" appearance: cross-shoes, crimson shirt and a sincere indignation. If such persons (I don't want to call them by right names) it would be better to give the possibility to take part in such prestige competition to the pupils of our musical school, they play better.

   It is incomprehensibly why the jury doesn't stop such playing the public which has paid money has you listen its. To tell the truth the participants has paid money too: they paid a fee 80$ to buy a right to tread the world famous stage. Who is right?

   Kirill Gliadkovsky who represents the USA but has got the whole musical education in Russia made the brightest impression. His perusal of Taneev fugue and prelude can be appraised as the event of the Competition.

   Alexei Sultanov who played like on the own concert and on the competition has brightened the second day of the Competition.

   I can't distinguish any one from the foreign pianists. There are our Rudenko (¹1 in my opinion), Sultanov and Filippov among Russian participants. They show so high level which can't be reached by somebody else.

   It seems in the rare exception that the foreign participants play not by hands by fins. As usually the participants from Japan and Korea are like as two peas, the difference is only speed of playing. Maybe the future days will pick out at least one perspective pianist.

   I have heard 24 persons and I can't understand really the Russian musicians from other cities play worse than NG from Malaysia or Galeos from Greece. I am sure that in Russian musical high school there are so many players much better than the "pianists" named above. And I believe the famous by its traditions Russian piano school is alive not only in the Moscow Conservatory.

   If we would like in future to revive the International status of the Competition (for the present only the Russian participants compete fairly, it is the fact), would determine the common obligatory terms for every one: the preliminary selection by audio- or video- cassettes or preliminary auditions obligatory non only for the Russian participants. The main world competitions work by such system. Of course it is impossible to avoid all incidents but this way can make life easier for the jury and for public too. The prestige of the Competition depends not on the Quantity but on the quality of the participants.

   I would like to note the very high level of the jury activity. Before the announcement of the results of the first round they decided to strike off 13 of 24 participants and it is right. If the intrigues, which are so much told about would take place it is possible only in the third round. For the present I completely tryst the jury.

Anonymous

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Andrei Eshpai’s (Chairman of the piano jury) commentary to the “Culture” TV correspondent after the first round

Question: How good is the average level of performing on the competition?

Mr. Eshpai: This question is easy and hard to answer at the same time. It seems to me that the level is high enough. I didn’t stop anyone. After all, is it right to stop the performer? I think not. Unfortunately there were three unprecedented cases, when there was no choice but to stop the contestants, but still these were exceptions.

After all, the level of performing at the Tchaikovsky competition is traditionally high and this year is not an exclusion. Another thing is that technical skills are not always equal to the musical peaks we are waiting for. Though technical skills of the Asian musicians are very impressive… By the way, that’s something that many European performers should learn to.

Question: Do you think that all those who pretend to take part in the next Tchaikovsky should be pass the preventive auditions using audio or video tapes?

Mr. Eshpai: You should probably ask somebody else about it. Anyway, I think that, yes, this would be fine. Though in this case all the pretenders must be putted into equal conditions – both Russian and Western ones.

(12, 13 June, ¹¹ 25 – 43)

I've never had such cheerless and hard days. Maybe the weather changes the perception (the oppressive heat can kill the best intentions), maybe the lack of the Russian contestants, which I have to support influences to my perception. These two days impression is quiet dismal. The lack of the professional skill and the feebleness technical and musical too reign on the Stage of the Grand Hall the Moscow Conservatory.

The playing of 20 years Maim Anikushin represented the USA I the single bright event of the morning competition audition the 12 June. His playing corresponds quiet well to the status of the Tchaikovsky Competition. I think, he is only one who can continue the fight.

Andrey Geltonog from Ukraine graduated the Moscow Conservatory has a high speed of the playing but he isn’t interesting as a pianist. We can tell he is a pianist (he corresponds to all technical demands), but he isn’t a musician. But, if you mint the common level of the piano contestants, he has a possibility to take part in the second round.

We have never had any Tchaikovsky competition without the France representative – public favorite. Maybe this year Oliver Perebrune would play this role. The elegant playing of French musicians corresponds to our listeners demand advantageously differs from the hard playing.

The evening was very hard. I would like to note Alina Hlikova from Ukraine. She can play the instrument in contrast to the other foreign participants. It is difficult to tell anything about her future in the Competition.

The 13th of June. The day is hotter than yesterday. It is very difficult to play. After the competition audition of seven persons only two remained. De Ros from Italy was “the honest”: he has understood that he couldn’t carry out the program and left the stage after two compositions.

Frederich Kempf from Great Britain and Robert Thies from the USA, Pollasck’s pupil, are two foreign contestants got the possibly to continue the competition. They didn’t “spoil” Tchaikovsky at least.

There was not any bright playing these two days. The foreign contestants were very interesting; I’ve never left the Concert Hall during their playing, I wonder to listen what else they can show. I think nether neither Bach nor Beethoven or Tchaikovsky hadn’t written their compositions if they could imagine the possible (better to say “impossible”) interpretation.

It seems that the lack of talent gives more self – reliance to the foreign contestants. For example Colombis from Italy who with sincere self – reliance stood up and made a bow in replay to the malicious clapping. Instead “the chase” from “the Seasons” we have heard some thing like famous “cha – cha – cha”.

I would like to propose to give the Prizes not only to the bests but to the worst too. The person received few points would get it. We can set up a Prize “for the worst playing” there were so much pretenders to it this year.

Some ties ago the board of the Moscow Conservatory hasn’t allowed to hold the “Silver old boot” ceremony (the Prize for the worst culture events), on its stage. And now we have to listen to foreign “old boot” and we couldn’t deny the right to be on this stage to them.

Besides Anikushin, the contestants of the second day have the same defects: the complete lack of the musical reflections, the grand pianos don’t sound and it doesn’t depend on the firms, and the fingers are like glued together. It is impossible to listen, I worried about every one, and they were so helpless and feeble.

I had a look to the booklet. It was my great mistake; I have never seen so mush misprints. The booklet of the Competition is the main document, which will stay for the History and it is clear that any skilled proof – reader hadn’t have a look here. Even the contestants’ biographies aren’t complete. In some biographies you can find teachers’ names and competitions in which the contestants had took part and in some you can’t others. It is quiet clear that the lack of the complete information gives the possibilities for the false rumors and can make the situation more intricate.

Of course I paid mare attention to the information about the Russian participants. In the Rudenko biography we can’t find any information about his participation in the last Tchaikovsky Competition where he had won the third Prize. Why? I support this pianist and it isn’t eagle for me.

I wasn’t offended to the booklet: in the newspaper “Muzikalnoie obozrenie” I’ve found the complete information about all Russian contestants and besides Rudenko I found some other pianists interesting for me.

I like Lips, Tarasov and Vartanian.

Anonymous

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   Polyansky performed incredibly on the first round! I don’t have enough time to listen to all of them, but I’m sure that he’ll get no less than second prize! There can’t be to many pianist of that level on one competition.

Pavel Kryzhevsky

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