Denis Kozhukhin

Denis Kozhukhin is one of the most sought-after pianists of our time, and only a little over a month ago he last appeared at Konserthuset – in a duo performance with the brilliant violinist Janine Jansen. Kozhukhin combines outstanding technique with mature musicianship and sensitivity. He has a unique ability to sharpen the listener’s focus and create a sense of closeness with the audience.

In this programme, Kozhukhin brings together the clarity and elegance of Joseph Haydn with the introspection and melancholy of Franz Schubert. The first half is devoted to Haydn, followed by Schubert’s final piano sonata after the interval – the grand Sonata in B-flat major.

When we think of Haydn, it is not primarily his piano music that comes to mind, but rather his inventive symphonies and string quartets. Indeed, his piano sonatas seem to have been overshadowed – despite the fact that they contain some of his most forward-looking music. The selection here, drawn from Haydn’s mature output, presents a meeting of the elegant world of classicism and the expressive sturm und drang of early romanticism. It is easy to understand the influence Haydn had on his wilful young pupil, Beethoven.

Franz Schubert was gravely ill when he composed his final three piano sonatas, just a few months before his death in 1828. And although he was only 31 at the time, it is as if he were settling accounts with his life. In this final sonata in B-flat major we hear his inner turmoil, and towards the end a struggle between light and darkness unfolds. The sonata is one of the repertoire’s most beloved – and most enigmatic – works.