“To be successful, a musician needs a virtual romance with the audience”

The celebrated pianist, soloist with the Moscow State Academic Philharmonic, Distinguished Artist of Russia Denis Matsuev has given a concert at the Salikh Saideshev Great Concert Hall in Kazan.

Matsuev’s victory at the 11th International Tchaikovsky Competition in 1998 won him wide renown. The pianist is performing with orchestras across the world and is collaborating with the world’s leading conductors, including Vladimir Fedoseev, Vladimir Spivakov and Mikhail Pletnev. Denis Matsuev is the organiser of the music festivals Stars on Baikal and Crescendo. Since 2006, Mr Matsuev has been a member at the President of Russia Council for Culture and Art, and in 2008 was included on its presidium. He has released over 14 discs.

The greatly successful performance in Kazan was part of a tour of the Volga regions. A few hours before the concert, the musician talked to journalists.

Q: How do you achieve success with the audience?
A.: To achieve success in Russia, you first have to criss-cross the country for about 15 years, free, for other kind of ideals. The Russian audience that comes to the concerts is really mysterious. You cannot have success in Russia in just one or two years. Although, success is probably not what matters the most to a musician. But if it you have it, it is one of the appendices. Success of a classical musician is somewhat different from success in show business or in rock music.

To have success in Russia, you have to spend 10-15 years trying. And to develop a so-called virtual romance with the audience coming to the hall. An amazing thing – people will come to your concerts, you will be a success, everything will seem to be going well... But it is not a fact that when you come to the city next time on a tour, you will be as successful. This is because our audience always listens and watches carefully, trying to decide if they should start a romance with him. And if you manage – through blood – to convince them, they will come back. You need to get a feel of the pieces you perform. A musician is an intermediary between a composer and an audience. Although your own ego is manifested as well, of course.

I like Kazan very much and I am happy to have come here within my Volga tour.

Q: Too bad you were not at the Easter Festival in Kazan...
A: Yes, I and Valery Gergiev went only to Yerevan, Saint-Petersburg and Moscow. At the time of the festival in Kazan, I was in America.

Generally speaking, I admire Gergiev, we have great plans. We have recorded a disc and will go on a tour to America. He is a stunning musician, one who gives me a lot. Being with Gergiev is precious, because when you rehearse with him, the very moment of rehearsal is unique. I thank my luck for letting me meet people like him. After a concert, I have the feeling that that was why we came onstage.

Q: What can you say of the Tatarstan’s Symphonic Orchestra’s conductor Fuat Manssurov, who you are going to perform with?
A: It is the first time I am playing with him – he is a historical, legendary person. I thank my luck for playing with him. When I was told I had an chance to come to Kazan and to play not a usual concert, but solo in one part, and with an orchestra in the other, plus the Shostakovich’s Second Concerto, I thought it was beautiful, great, that things went that way...

Q: Why this selection of composers for the tonight’s concert, Tschaikovsky, Shostakovich, Liszt and Mussorgsky?
A: They are my favourite works. I love the music. I love the music I play this very moment, while being on stage.

The Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto, which you will play with the Tatarstan’s State Symphonic Orchestra, can be played endlessly... What emotions have you developed over time, performing such wonderful pieces?
A: I have played the Tchaikovsky’s First Concerto over 300 times and have hopefully never sounded the same. For this one is one of my favourite concertos. I played it the first time at 12, in my native Irkutsk. When the horn begins in the beginning of the concerto, I realise the battle has commenced again.

During the recent tour of Japan, we played the concerto 14 times in the two weeks. And never repeated ourselves.

Q: You are to give 15 concerts in Russia and abroad this month. How do you manage to survive a schedule like this?
A: I live owing to this schedule. I probably would not be able to live one month without concerts. It is like death to me. I love living at a crazy schedule, 145 concerts a year.

I think the craziness is a sort of doping, allowing me to stay in touch and to learn new pieces, to be enlightened and to enlighten the audience. Thank God, so far I have managed the schedule.

Q: Music is what best expresses the Russian soul. Do you agree with this interpretation?
A: Absolutely. When you listen to Rakhmaninov, Tchaikovsky, you see Russian nature in front of your eyes, you hear Russian bells. In the Mussorgsky’s Pictures from an Exhibition, chime is clearly heard. Rakhmaninov always has the sound of bells.

The Russian person has always gone through some kind of pains. The heartache of the Russian people, that has survived so many troubles, is expressed in every phrase of genius music, be it Rakhmaninov or Mussorgsky. That is why the music is difficult to play. Musicians who do not realise it, cannot get the real sound for Russian music, even great orchestras. A short while ago, I heard Tchaikovsky performed by this orchestra – and the performance did not completely melt my heart. A Russian person better understands the Russian soul.

                                                               

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         Prepared by Kristina Ivanova