Rustem Hayroudinoff is one of those musicians who knock the spots off overhyped oriental kiddies and wolf-keeping Europeans in terms of genuine artistry, but have had to struggle for much too long to achieve the recognition they deserve.
But at last I get the feeling that his boat is in sight of the shore: his latest recording for Chandos, Rachmaninov's Etudes Tableaux, is the instrumental Pick of the Month in the newest BBC Music Magazine and he'll be playing Rachmaninov's Third Concerto with the London Philharmonic on 14 January (Eastbourne, 3pm).
A big Russian-school technique - rich, glowing tone, layered voicing and spacious phrasing - plus an artistic awareness that encompasses painting, literature, cinema, jazz (which he plays jolly well), terrific intelligence and a great sense of humour, all add up to fresh, heady and colourful artistic results. Rustem is a Tatar from Kazan, trained in Moscow and London, where he now lives, and is the most vivid raconteur I know. Tomorrow (Monday) he's on BBC Radio 3's In Tune programme around 6.15pm. (Along with Juan Diego Florez!! no kidding.)
On Thursday next week he's giving a Wigmore Hall recital. Do come and hear him if you're in London.
Bach English Suite No. 3 in G minor
Debussy Suite Bergamasque
Shostakovich Preludes and Fugues op. 87
No. 2 in A minor
No. 4 in E minor
No. 15 in D flat major
Chopin Mazurkas:
Op.56 No. 2 in C
Op.17 No .4 in A minor
Op.63 No. 3 in C# minor
Scherzo No. 3 op. 39
Prokofiev Sonata No.7 op. 83
Tickets: £22 £18 £14 £10
Wigmore Hall box office: 020 7935 2141
or online booking at www.wigmore-hall.org.uk/concerts/booking.cfm
