Praised by The New York Times for his ‘uncommon sensitivity and feeling’, the eloquent pianist Roman Rabinovich was the winner of the 12th Arthur Rubinstein International Piano Master Competition in 2008. His subsequent career has led him to perform throughout Europe and the USA in venues as Leipzig’s Gewandhaus, London’s Wigmore Hall, the Great Hall of Moscow Conservatory, Cité de la Musique in Paris and Washington DC’s Kennedy Center.
On the Goldberg Variations: Since my first encounter with Bach's Goldberg Variations, the sheer power and endless imagination of this music has left me utterly overwhelmed. The Goldbergs are like a compass, providing purpose and order, emotional and spiritual guidance that resonates deep within. And let's not forget the sheer joy and delight of physically playing them on the piano.
Very few pieces in the repertoire hold within themselves such infinite variety of expression, styles and genres as the Goldbergs. There is an overarching feeling of unity and inevitability, that resonates through the entire cycle. Expressively it represents a whole gamut of life. It simultaneously represents intellectual and physical wizardry, while exploring a kaleidoscope of moods and characters, with dances that make our toes tap. It is an encyclopedia of what music and pianism can do. Climbing that Goldberg mountain has been most challenging and fulfilling and I made a promise to myself to never stop playing this music.
