Review Polina Leshenko
TobiasOn the other hand, as important as playing live may be, it would be a good idea to display the same sense of sparkling superiority in the studio as well. While this disc might not be a total disaster, it is a let-down for sure, leaving much to be desired and only rarely granting a glimpse at Leschenkos genius. There is every indication of a rushed affair, even though that hardly suffices as an excuse, as she should be in familiar territory: Liszt, Chopin and Brahms constitute her core repertoire.
A part of the problem at least can be attributed to production. David Groves dissappoints with a lifeless piano sound with hardly any brilliance, which would require an enormous amount of finesse and concentration from any artist. Still, Leschenko has her self to blame as well. She does not as yet have the required angularity and street-wiseness necessary for the short pieces and finds it hard to maneuver through the longer ones. So naturally, her strength should lie in medium sized compositions. Proof of this can be found in her more than solid performance of Kreislers Liebesleid, with its nervously tantalising opening just as perfectly realised as the placid resignation of the conclusion. And her handling of the Largo from Bachs »Trio Sonata No. 5« is phenomenally subtle and full of touching nuances – from another world, almost.
Finally, the impressive technical abilities within her reach are turned inside-out on Liszts »Etude No. 6«. The rest of the material, however, does not stand the quality test. Sudden moments of beauty are always present, but one desperately longs for a red thread, a sign of direction, guidance.
Future recordings will have to show the true potential of this young descendent of Saint Petersburg. The »Martha Argerich presents« series might look like a welcome opportunity for displaying talent, but with a lack lustre booklet and an overt presence of the Argentinean superstar on the cover, it is trying to sell an old name just as much as a new one. Leschenko has managed to live with praise and glory, she will have to live with criticism as well.