Vassily Primakov
In many ways Vassily Primakov is a reincarnation of the keyboard virtuoso from the early and mid-20th century: he possesses an enormous technique, a highly individual interpretive persona, and a keen sense for drama in the big moments of Romantic and post-Romantic works. To watch him at the piano in performance underscores this atavistic view: Primakov often plays trance-like, seemingly carried away by the music, with all manner of facial expressions and animated movements, while still conveying the sense he is in complete control, despite whatever technical challenges confront him. His growing number of fans will assert that he is fun to watch in his captivating mixture of eccentricity and sensitive virtuosity. Primakov possesses a broad repertory inclusive of Beethoven, Schumann, Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Rachmaninov, Scriabin, and Shostakovich. But he does not skirt the less meaty repertory, as his performances of Mozart concertos will attest; nor does he avoid the unusual: he plays the generally neglected and less pianistic Dvorák Piano Concerto. Primakov has recorded for Bridge Records and the Van Cliburn Foundation.
Vassily Primakov was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1979. At 11 he became a student of Vera Gornostaeva at the Central Special Music School in Moscow. At 17 he enrolled at Juilliard, where he studied until 2005. His teachers there included keyboard icon Jerome Lowenthal. Primakov eventually made the U.S. his adopted homeland.
In 1999 Primakov captured second prize at the prestigious Cleveland International Piano Competition. In 2001 he was a semi-finalist in the Van Cliburn Competition, and the following year he gave his New York City debut at the 92nd Street Y as part of the Young Concert Artists series. That same year Primakov entered the Gina Bachauer International Artists Piano Competition in Salt Lake City and captured the silver medal. Primakov also won the prestigious William Petschek Piano Debut Recital Award while a student at Juilliard.
In 2007 the Classical Recording Foundation gave Primakov the Young Artist of the Year Award. The pianist recorded the two Chopin concertos in May, the following year, with conductor Paul Mann and the Odense Symphony Orchestra. The CD was released on Bridge Records later that year and received broad critical acclaim. As a result of this success, Bridge signed Primakov to a contract involving a series of new recordings. One of them was released in 2009: an acclaimed disc of Schumann's Carnaval and Kreisleriana.
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Discography
16 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Chopin: Piano Concerto Nos. 1 & 2
Vassily Primakov, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Paul Mann
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 11 Nov 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Preliminary Round
Classical - Released by Van Cliburn Foundation on 1 Jul 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 2
Vassily Primakov, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Simon Gaudenz
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 21 Mar 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 1
Vassily Primakov, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Scott Yoo
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 12 May 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Beethoven: Piano Sonatas Nos. 9, 23 & 32
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 8 Jan 2003
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Rachmaninoff: Piano Works
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 2 May 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Mozart: Piano Concertos, Vol. 3
Vassily Primakov, Odense Symphony Orchestra, Scott Yoo
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 1 Mar 2012
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schubert: Impromptus & Dances
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 21 Apr 2010
Stereophile: Record To Die For16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Tchaikovsky: The Seasons, Op. 37a & Grand Sonata, Op. 37
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 1 Dec 2008
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Primakov in Concert, Vol. 2 (Live)
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 1 Sep 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
The Music of Poul Ruders, Vol. 6
Vassily Primakov, Rune Tonsgaard Sørensen, Mikko Luoma, Norwegian Radio Orchestra, iO String Quartet, Thomas Sondergard
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 25 Feb 2011
Gramophone Editor's Choice16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Sonates et Sonatines pour piano (Volume 6)
Classical - Released by Naxos on 5 Aug 2013
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Variations
Classical - Released by Lp Classics, Inc. on 1 Jan 2017
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Primakov in Concert, Vol. 1 (Live)
Classical - Released by Bridge Records on 1 Nov 2010
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Chopin: 51 Mazurkas
Classical - Released by Lp Classics on 1 Jan 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
2001 Van Cliburn International Piano Competition Semifinal Round
Classical - Released by Van Cliburn Foundation on 1 Jul 2007
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo