Reed Tetzloff

Reed Tetzloff - IKIF
25th International Keyboard Institute and Festival
Merkin Hall, New York

July 13th, 2023

Berg: Piano Sonata Op. 1
Ives: Three-Page Sonata
Beethoven: Sonata in C Major, Op. 53 "Waldstein"
Brahms: Piano Sonata No. 3 in F Minor, Op. 5

Reed Tetzloff is an excellent young American pianist I have had the pleasure of hearing several times before. Last night he gave a very fine recital at Merkin Hall on the IKIF concert series.

One noticed already, from the beginning of the Berg Sonata which opened the recital, a beautiful shaping of phrases. This performance was big-boned and emotional, with well-focused climaxes, many moments of beauty, and an exquisite end.

The Ives Sonata was volatile, and very dissonant with huge dynamic contrasts. At one point there was a quasi-melody in the right hand, set against a left hand chordal pattern that seemed to move according to a different rhythmic pattern. There were also occasional hints of tonality.

What can one say that's new about Beethoven's "Waldstein" Sonata?! Is there a pianist alive who doesn't have the fingerings of its passagework imprinted in his/her memory?! And yet, it's always good to hear another brilliant interpretation of it.

Mr. Tetzloff played the first movement at a fast, but not crazy fast tempo. Surprisingly, he did not do the repeat. He sometimes took a little bit of extra time for the second theme material, but did so judicially, not to excess. And the "drumroll" at the end of the development section, leading into the recapitulation, was very exciting!

Although the second movement is short, technically easy and, essentially, just an introduction to the last movement, I rarely hear it played this well. It was not too fast, as in many other performances, and had depth and sensitivity.

The theme of the last movement was played at a good, flowing tempo, and was not overpedaled, as one sometimes hears it. There were sections both lovely and powerful, and the brilliant coda was played terrifically fast!

Mr. Tetzloff had a broad, spacious approach to much of the Brahms Sonata. Occasionally one could imagine parts of it played slightly faster, but it was always effective, and it never dragged. The first movement was strong, and one could hear everything was well thought-out, and natural sounding. Indeed, one hears how well this pianist communicates the music! The second movement was lovely, played with gorgeous tone. The third movement was rambunctious, and the choral in the middle was soulful.

The Intermezzo, which is the fourth movement, started atmospherically, but became ominous after awhile. The fifth movement bounced along jauntily, and the coda was fast, indeed (very fast at the end!), and swept one along.

Reed Tetzloff played three encores. He said he would dedicate the first one to the memory of Andre Watts, whose death we only learned of earlier in the day. When he was 18, Tetzloff heard Watts played the "Emperor" Concerto, he told us, and was impressed by its heroism. The first encore was the Brahms Intermezzo in A Major, Op. 118, No. 2. It was spacious and loving.

Reviving a practice one rarely hears today, he next "preluded" (modulated) into D-Sharp Minor, which led directly into Scriabin's famous Etude in that key, his Op. 8, No. 12. It was excitingly played, but had a novel touch: instead of charging into the end,
Mr. Tetzloff held back the tempo and then accelerated into it.

The final encore was the Earl Wild transcription of Gershwin's song "Embraceable You." Hurtling along with reams and reams of notes, it had incredible energy and irresistible charm!