"Die Stimme. Decembre 17th 2009
"Pianiste subtile
Weinsberg presents us one time of more a sophisticated pianist. This time not in "Baukelter", where Brahms full of temperament of Luba Nawrocka had given rise to the storms of applause, but in the room Jugendstil de Weissenhof. Sophia Vaillant's subtle and sophisticated play does not unfortunately arouse in the public of echo so spectacular, but it matches as for the level.
It begins religiously. In " Look of the father " of Messiaen, suites of chords alternate with repetitions of notes, in " First communion " of arabesques virtuosos come to interrupt the chords. "God's Blessing" of captive Liszt more.
It is not a pianist in the swagger. What many listeners notice probably not : even if, as the big and charming French, we possess very big fingers and can play in fast passages, with delicacy and legato, agreements ninth and tenth, this piece of Liszt is almost unplayable. We notice it hardly. Sophia Vaillant does not make a swagger, what would have provoked more applauses, but plays as well "Allegro Barbaro" with the distinction of a great lady, especially than the grand piano of Weissenhof, unlike the instrument of Baukelter, has a discreet sound in treble.
After the break, the pianist is even more in her element. The tangos of Piazzolla and other adapted by her for solo piano sparkle with spirit, and her rubato often comes to soften the rigidity of the rhythm of tango. Her interpretations of the best quality never slip towards the commonness of the music of variety.
Even after the removed passages, her final agreements do not look for the applauses by a high sound volume, they are only strong mezzo. Chopin criticized the women pianists who play too hardly. " They play as Germans ". Sophia Vaillant would have been of her taste. " M.Betulius
Weinsberg presents us one time of more a sophisticated pianist. This time not in "Baukelter", where Brahms full of temperament of Luba Nawrocka had given rise to the storms of applause, but in the room Jugendstil de Weissenhof. Sophia Vaillant's subtle and sophisticated play does not unfortunately arouse in the public of echo so spectacular, but it matches as for the level.
It begins religiously. In " Look of the father " of Messiaen, suites of chords alternate with repetitions of notes, in " First communion " of arabesques virtuosos come to interrupt the chords. "God's Blessing" of captive Liszt more.
It is not a pianist in the swagger. What many listeners notice probably not : even if, as the big and charming French, we possess very big fingers and can play in fast passages, with delicacy and legato, agreements ninth and tenth, this piece of Liszt is almost unplayable. We notice it hardly. Sophia Vaillant does not make a swagger, what would have provoked more applauses, but plays as well "Allegro Barbaro" with the distinction of a great lady, especially than the grand piano of Weissenhof, unlike the instrument of Baukelter, has a discreet sound in treble.
After the break, the pianist is even more in her element. The tangos of Piazzolla and other adapted by her for solo piano sparkle with spirit, and her rubato often comes to soften the rigidity of the rhythm of tango. Her interpretations of the best quality never slip towards the commonness of the music of variety.
Even after the removed passages, her final agreements do not look for the applauses by a high sound volume, they are only strong mezzo. Chopin criticized the women pianists who play too hardly. " They play as Germans ". Sophia Vaillant would have been of her taste. " M.Betulius
Listening to August/September 2008
" The pianist Sophia Vaillant chose to present in the same program, three extracts of the twenty Looks on the child Jesus from Messiaen, two extracts of the poetic and religious Harmonies of Liszt and the Ponderings on the Embodiment of Pileggi, contemporary Italian composer. The pianist as whom the playing at the same time faithful and personal serves outstandingly the qualities of each of these musicians, themselves turned to the expression of an alive faith… " A.R.
