Vadim
Chaimovich is a Lithuanian pianist born in 1978. He has won
a number of international competitions and has given numerous
recitals, both recital and with orchestra. He seems now to
be based in Germany and often plays in Dresden. This is,
I think, his first commercial CD though there are sound samples
on his site which you’ll find easily enough by Googling his
name.
Sheva
is a label that, thus far into my acquaintance, is shy about
letting us know where and when they record their artists.
So I can’t tell you why it is that the recording quality
throughout this disc is so very dry. It certainly plays its
part in one’s appreciation of the recital.
Chaimovich
is an adept and musical player but he favours a rather
sec sound
and a limited use of pedal, which together with the recorded
ambience conspire to limit optimum pleasure. His articulation
and phrasing in the opening of K330 is also from time to
time, rather peculiar though I will note that I prefer his
playing of it, as an interpretation, to that of, say, Pletnev.
Chaimovich’s playing is warmer in the central slow movement
than in the outer ones though again it is on balance a rather
cool approach and sound. Once again in the finale he avoids
the caprice of Pletnev.
It’s
probably because of the recording quality that his dynamics
didn’t register as acutely as they might in K457 where one
finds a slightly metrical feel to some of the passagework.
Its Adagio is not especially brisk – faster than Brendel,
slower than Pletnev – but it remains cool and clear-eyed.
The two Mozart sonatas
are joined by two by Haydn. Once again the sound is dry.
There could perhaps be more zip in the G major sonata and
I’m not sure he has solved some of the phrasal concerns in
its Adagio, which sounds a little forced. I remember the
fortepiano recording by Christine Faron on Schwann, which
nailed them very successfully. The little two movement B
major sonata causes fewer concerns.
Clearly
Chaimovich is a talented young player. But there are nevertheless
areas to be addressed in his playing – such as tonal warmth
for one - that aren’t helped by the recording quality afforded
him on this occasion.
Jonathan Woolf
for
details
Vadim Chaimovich
(piano) 
