“A piano virtuoso and world-famous compositions create a symphony of enjoyment.”
Watching one musical virtuoso perform is wonderful but having two in the same evening is particularly indulgent. Such was the case tonight at the Royal Festival Hall for Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 performed by Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii (simply known as Nobu), conducted by Chinese conductor Xian Zhang.
The evening started out wonderfully with an eleven minute recital of a contemporary piece by Nokuthula Ngwenyama. Titled “Primal Message”, this 2018 created was a mellifluous arrangement was inspired by the 1974 Arecibo message sent into deep space. The message referenced 186 seconds of interstellar radio waves and Ngwenyama’s composition evoked a brilliant sense of contgemplative calm. It was the perfect introduction into an otherwise bombastic evening. Gentle use of percussion, textured string harmonies created a sense of scale and peace.
Following a brief orchestral rearrangement to accommodate Nobu’s beautiful piano front and centre, the man himself emerged to perform, clearly thrilled to be there. Blind from birth, he learns each piece by ear, taking longer for more complex performances. For Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No.2, Nobu demonstrated exactly why he is a musical virtuoso. Supersonic playing of his instrument almost defies physics. He plays the twenty minute concerto with confidence, panache and ease. He is a consummate professional and a born performer. In 1957 Shostakovich was already skeptical of this piece, cricitsing its musical merits. This however pales into comparison when you have such a skilled performer such as Nobu to elevate it into something magical to experience. It follows the triple arrangements of allegro – andante – allegro and allows the fabulous orchestra to explore delicate woodwind motifs with a climactic piano solo as befits the billing of the night. Six curtain calls and a standing ovation confirmed it.
The second half of the performance was a selection from Ukrainian born Sergei Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet. This world famous ballet segment opened with the seminal march of the Monagues and the Capulets. Strong use of the timpani drums, flutes and brass all compliment the fantastic timbre of the families meeting in the ballroom during a pivotal scene. Softened by a lyrical, sweet segue into a minuet followed by Masks, we are treated to the visceral Death of Tybalt scene in which Romeo becomes unflinchingly feral through 15 consecutive bars of repeated chords, each one like a stab wound. It’s incredibly powerful even when there are no dancers to convey it; the musicality has such personality your mind creates the rest. The finale is of course the heartbreaking Romeo at Juliet’s Grave. Mournful, tender and with a string section that goes all the way up to a high F7 it is a beautiful way to round off the evening’s concert.
There is evidently very little that can be improved when you have a piano genius and a professional orchestra at the top of their game performing classic compositions that have stood the test of time for nearly a century. Perhaps Nobu’s furiously paced performing doesn’t allow Shostakovich’s music to be as nuanced, or perhaps some people need ballet dancers to enjoy Prokofiev. In any case they are all guided by the excellent Xian Zhang, a female conductor with an already impressive list of trailblazing achievement including Grammy and Emmy Awards and international positions in her field.
This performance is a fantastic addition to celebrate the Southbank Centre’s 70th year and the skill on display will undoubtedly be extrapolated elsewhere. Watching any virtuoso perform is a delight not to be missed.
Shostakovich Piano Concerto No.2 with Nobu was a single performance as part of the Philharmonia Orchestra’s 2026/2027 season at the Royal Festival Hall, Southbank Centre, London.