Alexander Malofeev – Enchanting Musicality and Virtuosity on the Piano
The concert of Alexander Malofeev was an extraordinary event for the Belgrade audience. With his incredible musicality, he captivated the listeners, seduced them with his distinctive approach to musical material, and impressed them with an exceptionally demanding program for his recital at the Grand Hall of Kolarac Endowment.
Two hours of music passed almost imperceptibly, as if in a single breath. The secret of his masterful success lies in the touching, delicate, and expressive nuances that seamlessly flowed through his interpretations of a program filled with tension, playful gestures, and dense textures.
ALEXANDER MALOFEEV DEMONSTRATED EXTRAORDINARY ARTISTIC MATURITY AND TECHNICAL VIRTUOSITY WHILE MAINTAINING AN HONEST EMOTIONAL DEPTH IN HIS INTERPRETATIONS.
Although young, with significant achievements behind him, Malofeev commands the stage with both humility and generosity. His artistic maturity permeated the entire concert repertoire, which consisted of Three Piano Pieces, D. 946 by Franz Schubert and Sonata No. 3, Op. 46 by Dmitry Kabalevsky in the first part, while the second half featured In the Mists by Leoš Janáček, Funeral Procession, S. 173 by Franz Liszt, and Four Preludes, Op. 22 alongside Fantasy in B Minor by Alexander Scriabin. In addition to the main program, he gifted the audience with four encores – La Séparation by Glinka, Prelude in C-sharp Minor, Op. 3, No. 2 by Rachmaninoff, Canzona Serenata, Op. 38 by Medtner, and Mazurka in C Minor by Glinka.
Malofeev performed Schubert’s Three Piano Pieces with a profound analytical depth, shaping dramatic contrasts between different musical characters. His deep keystrokes in powerful passages, juxtaposed with soft, meditative textures, illuminated the full poetry of Schubert’s music—dense textures, the tension of bass lines, and solid chordal structures. In contrast to Schubert, Malofeev approached Kabalevsky’s composition with vibrant colors and distinct Prokofiev-like rhythms and harmonies, which he built with precision and confidence. He particularly highlighted the playfulness and wit of Kabalevsky’s Sonata, emphasizing the rhythmic sequences and bringing them to life with expressive character.
Photo: Liudmila MalofeevaTHE SECRET OF HIS MASTERFUL SUCCESS LIES IN THE TOUCHING, DELICATE, AND EXPRESSIVE NUANCES THAT SEAMLESSLY FLOWED THROUGH HIS INTERPRETATIONS OF PROGRAM FILLED WITH TENSION, PLAYFUL GESTURES.
The gradual and carefully structured buildup of tension was present not only in Kabalevsky’s music but also in Janáček’s misty soundscapes, where Malofeev shaped vivid images of all four movements through subtle movements and sigh-like phrases. He surprised the audience by seamlessly connecting Janáček’s intimate miniatures with Liszt’s Funeral Procession—the final movement of Poetic and Religious Harmonies. Interestingly, he avoided any references to a traditionally romantic atmosphere in these works, instead highlighting their impressionistic colors in both Janáček’s and Liszt’s compositions.
In the final part of the concert, through an almost imperceptible transition between Scriabin’s compositions, Malofeev drew the audience into yet another immersive world—the world of a bold and determined pianist who brought Scriabin’s complex textures to life with remarkable expressiveness and musical clarity. His performance was a testament to technical brilliance, artistic maturity, and a wealth of interpretative ideas, securing his triumph before the Belgrade audience.
Photo: Liudmila MalofeevaAlexander Malofeev demonstrated extraordinary artistic maturity and technical virtuosity while maintaining an honest emotional depth in his interpretations. His program choice was both daring and demanding, and his ability to shape musical contrasts and nuances mesmerized the audience. The combination of analytical insight, expressive phrasing, and impressive sound control made this concert an unforgettable experience, reaffirming Malofeev as one of the most outstanding pianists of his generation.
Bonus video
*Cover photo: Belkisa Abdulović/CEBEF