Program
Olivier Messiaen (1908–1992)
Two сontemplations from Twenty Contemplations on the Infant Jesus (1944):
No. 1. Regard du Père (’Contemplation of the Father’)
No. 4. Regard de la vierge (’Contemplation of the Virgin’)
Domenico Scarlatti (1685–1757)
Sonatas
In D minor, Allegro, K 9
In A minor, Allegrissimo, K 451
In D major, Non presto ma in tempo di ballo, K 430
In B minor, Allegro, K 27
In D minor, Allegro, K1
In B minor, K 87
In D minor, Allegro, K 141
Johann Sebastian Bach (1685–1750)
Preludes and Fugues, WTC, Book I (1722)
No. 1 à 4 voci in C major, BWV 846
No. 10 à 2 voci in E minor, BWV 855
No. 3 à 3 voci in C sharp major, BWV 848
No. 12 à 4 voci in F minor, BWV 857
No. 11 à 3 voci in F major, BWV 856
Johann Sebastian Bach
(Arr. for piano by Wilhelm Kempff)
Siciliano from Sonata No. 2 in E flat major for flute and harpsichord, BWV 1031
Largo from Concerto for clavier and orchestra in F minor, BWV 1056
Choral Prelude, Ich ruf’ zu dir, Herr Jesu Christ, BWV 639
Details
Varvara Myagkova is a recent phenomenon, an accomplished pianist who made a name after her recordings went viral on social media. Since 2019, her solo career has developed rapidly and triumphally. Varvara Myagkova was ’discovered’ by pianist Boris Berezovsky, who invited her to perform at his Elabuga Summer Nights Festival. Her solo and chamber ensemble performances soon followed at venues such as the Homecoming Chamber Music Festival, Ars Longa International Music Festival, Škola Crew Festival, Beethoven Hall of the Bolshoi Theatre, Zaryadye Concert Hall, and the Moscow International House of Music. In September 2021, Fancy Music released Sergey Akhunov’s Sketches XIII-XVI, composed especially for Varvara Myagkova and recorded on three antique grand pianos in the museum of restorer Alexey Stavitsky in Rybinsk.
At Dom Radio, St. Petersburg, Varvara Myagkova presents Sacred and Profane, recorded with the support of a crowdfunding campaign at the end of October 2021.
Varvara Myagkova: ’One of my best concert programmes is Sacred and Profane: Bach, Scarlatti, and two Messiaen miniatures. This is my repertoire, and I live and breathe it.’
Boris Berezovsky: ’Varvara Myagkova plays Bach phenomenally — in my opinion, even better than the famous Glenn Gould.’
Xenia Knorre: ’In a way, Myagkova is unique. She has a childlike wonder at music as if no one has played it before her.’
Lukas Geniušas: ’Myagkova has a gift that could be called ‘otherworldly’: it is as if she is giving a message, a prophecy.’
Myagkova graduated from the Gnessin Special Music School (under E. Plyashkevich) and Moscow Conservatory (under Prof. X. Knorre, 2004). She is a prize-winner at the All-Union Competition (1992) and International Competition in Andorra (2002). For many years, she has worked as an accompanist of the Russian Television and Radio Grand Children Choir. Since 2000 she has performed solo and chamber ensemble programmes in major Moscow concert halls. She is actively involved in charity and education and supports organisations working with children in difficult straits. She is also an accompanist of the Melody Children Choir. Varvara runs a Facebook group, The 21st-Century Composers. The pianist collaborates with the Apriori Arts Agency.