Alexey Talanov

To say that Creator has endowed Alexey Talanov with talents – means not to say anything. He is one of the most gifted musicians, I have had an occasion to meet during my musical career. An amazing ear of music and rhythmic sense, capability permitting to work 6-7 hours a day, a fantastic harmonic and melodic memory finally gave our city an academic pianist of extra-class. Lesha already started brightly at teenage, when he won the prestigious Sofronitsky competition at the age of 15. Immediately after that there were some victories at Russian and international competitions. I met many wonder children who couldn’t “survive” their child’s success and who always remained in memory of specialists giving great hope musicians. Such a fragment of biography was in Alexey’s career too. Great talent attracts both heaven and evil forces. Sometimes it is not easy to cope with weakness for all artist’s will. At the end Talanov either played on tour in Russia, the Ukraine, Kazakhstan and CIS with big success or he was expelled from Schnittke Institute, Gnessin Academy and other educational institution. On the Internet you can find Alexey’s records of that period listening to them you understand that in that time he already played powerful and mature. Most of all I like the first Chopin Concerto for the piano with orchestra, which was played in the middle of the last  decade with Yaroslavl governor’s symphony orchestra. Undoubtedly, Alexey is an expressive romantic by his nature. He is a Pianist to whom Chopin, Liszt, Rachmaninoff, Debussy, Ravel, Scriabin, Chaykovsky are close in the first place. Though recently we can listen to Bach played by him. Maybe it is the result of the maturation, possibly his spiritual experience (recently Alexey has graduated from the theological seminary) call him to the music of a great Saxon. Leshka is a handy man not only like a pianist but in general too. He is a skilful person, who can repair everything what you want from plumbing to clockwork. Three years ago he took a great interest in repairs and restoration of old pianos and he has already restored some grand pianos and pianos. Generally he is a multi-faceted human, at the same time with classical education he got a college diploma as a variety vocalist, in this walk of life he has found a great number of admirers. But in my opinion there is no doubt that he is great in the estrade, but he is not primary, not so original like in an academical music.  Being a master of fantastic filigree work (he thanks his teachers – citizens of Yaroslavl Vladimir Kamaev and Moscow professor Michael Voskresenskiy) Alexey Talanov can cope with work of any degree of complexity, but not everybody can cope with the text of a piece. Rendition of academical music is often emasculated, sometimes performers, who is even distinguished and titled have nothing to say to public. From my point of view to carry conviction in classics is doubly hard because a performer is not a co-author of music (like in jazz and blues), but he only interprets written by the composer. Therefore performer’s personality, his inward life arevery important to make the composer’s ideas clear, so as emotional tint which depends on who realizes a performance. Alexey Talanov has something to say. Maybe more than anybody else. Yes, he didn’t study at CSM, he grew up in Perekop, he is fond of the music, literature, but on occasions he can repair a toilet cistern and to get a sock in the eye. Listeners of Russian fund and Norwegian Royal Philharmonic society applaud to his art (last month Alexey played Grieg concerto with Norwegian orchestra in composer’s Motherland). He can play with excitement and pleasure in the Sanatorium “Yasniezori” ( I was eyewitness), on the HLAM-session in the “Coffein” or in the restaurant “Vanilnoenebo” . Thank God now he is already 27, adolescence overfermented  andoverboiled, he is concentrated, he knows his aim, he is invited more to Russia as well as abroad. It is difficult to understand for us that the great pianist lives side by side. (There is not always a genius in our Native country). Fortunately, leaders of Yaroslavl art museum, who appreciate Alexey Talanov’s play, have decided to give him an opportunity to conduct a solo concert in the museum. At last citizens of Yaroslavl will be able to listen to Grieg and Chopin, Rachmaninoff and Liszt and a lot of other wonderful concerts of piano music played by a talented artist.

StasMaynugin.