On a memorable Sunday evening, pianist Nikolay Medvedev delivered an unforgettable performance at the prestigious Konzerthaus Berlin, captivating the audience with a program that showcased both his virtuosic brilliance and deep musical insight. The concert, performed on a C. Bechstein concert grand D 282, featured works by Haydn, Schumann, Mendelssohn, and Liszt, and concluded with a standing ovation and three encores — a clear testament to its impact.

Renowned music critic Gregor Willmes, chairman of the board at the Carl Bechstein Foundation, praised the concert in glowing terms, writing: “Standing ovation and three encores: the highly esteemed Nikolay Medvedev thrilled on every level”. He went on to highlight the pianist’s inspired interpretation and command of the instrument: “Ein fantastisches Konzert” (“A fantastic concert”), he echoed, quoting journalist Kerstin Holm, who also offered enthusiastic praise.

Holm, a respected cultural correspondent and author, described Medvedev’s concert as “a fantastic concert by the phenomenal Russian pianist Nikolay Medvedev”. In her review, she emphasized the boldness and virtuosity of the evening’s repertoire: “with a super-virtuosic program of open variation forms, from Haydn’s Andante with breakneck variations, Mendelssohn’s ‘Sonate écossaise,’ and the Liszt/Busoni reminiscences on Don Giovanni.”

She further captured the theatrical intensity of the Liszt/Busoni work, noting how it unfolded dramatically: “beginning with the judgmental theme of the Commendatore, followed by ‘La ci darem la mano,’ and culminating in a fantasia on the ecstatic Champagne Aria that seemed to explode as if driven by Nemesis” (“eine Fantasie über die ekstatische Champagner-Arie wie von der Nemesis getrieben regelrecht explodiert”).

The emotional response from the audience was equally powerful. The hall erupted in applause, with the crowd rising to their feet in unanimous appreciation. As Holm succinctly put it: “Three encores – Mega! The audience applauded while standing.”

With this performance, Nikolay Medvedev once again affirmed his place among the leading pianists of his generation — not only through technical prowess, but with an artistic voice that speaks directly to the soul. The Berlin audience will not soon forget this night of musical brilliance, and many surely await his return to the stage.

Written by Stanislav Melenchuk