Pianist heads to ideal place

Alexander Melnikov sounds distinctly world-weary on a cracklesome line from Germany when I catch up with the pianist just before he traverses the globe to tour with the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra.

He seems reluctant to talk about his native Russia. "It's my first language and the country I was born in," he says. "There are certain things about Russia I like and some I don't like but I'm trying to avoid this nationalist way of thinking because those times are over."

Melnikov was still a student in Russia when he first tasted international success at Zwickau's Schumann Competition and the Brussels Queen Elisabeth, although he eventually moved to Italy for further studies with Andreas Staier and Karl-Ulrich Schubert. "It's about teachers, about people. Not where they're from."

He is happier talking about the two concertos on offer with the NZSO.

Friday's Brahms First always puzzles and fascinates him. "It started out as a symphony and ended up as a piano concerto. Brahms was clear about his musical ideas but not about what form they might be put into."

Both Hamilton and Auckland will hear Rachmaninov's uber-popular Second Concerto. Melnikov laments its schmaltzy reputation. "You have to do more than just present some nice tunes. I find this music extremely noble, and a lot more should be made of the inner textures than some pianists do. In a word, nothing should be too shiny. It's much more introvert than many might think."

On this tour, Melnikov is partnered by English conductor Mark Wigglesworth and I ask the pianist for his thoughts on the ideal conductor. He likes the question and ends up asking for someone who could "push the unions away so that if the orchestra wanted to rehearse 10 minutes more, it's not a problem".

It is difficult for conductors these days to find the time to give the necessary attention to detail. "Even if a brilliant conductor comes to do Mahler with one of the world's best orchestras, he will be told, 'Maestro, don't worry, we know it.'

"The orchestra may produce a perfectly fine performance but I remain unmoved because Mahler didn't design his symphonies to be performed like this.

"That's why we're searching out 50-year-old recordings by conductors like Horenstein, in which you can feel the pain, the struggle and the amount of rehearsal."

Another issue is returning over and over again to the same work. Only one composer remains eternally fresh. "Beethoven somehow stands alone. You can revisit his work twice a day for your whole life and each will always be the first time. It's never good to go on autopilot."

He has just recorded Beethoven's Violin Sonatas with his favourite violinist, Isabelle Faust, and relishes the whole recording process.

"The trick is to know what you want to say and prepare well. I don't worry about not having an audience; I have a microphone and through that I can have the ideal audience who really wants to hear this particular music."

Ideals of one sort or another have been a recurrent theme in our conversation and, when it comes to countries, our fair land fits the bill. He was particularly impressed during a short recital tour last year and, thanks to Radio New Zealand Concert, on August 10 you can hear a replay of his magnificent recital of Schumann, Prokofiev and Scriabin from last year's Auckland Museum Fazioli series.

"I'm crazy about New Zealand and this way of life you have here. It's an ideal place to make some serious music because one does not have so many everyday problems and can concentrate on creative things."

PERFORMANCE
What:
New Zealand Symphony Orchestra

Where and when:
Hamilton, Founder's Theatre, Thursday, July 23, 8pm;
Auckland Town Hall, Friday, July 24, 6.30pm, Saturday, July 25, 3pm