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Boris Giltburg
The following description was submitted by the event organizer.
Boris Giltburg brings a voice of luminous clarity and narrative nerve — an interpreter whose craftsmanship is matched by uncommon scope. Moscow-born and Israeli-raised, he filmed and recorded all 32 Beethoven sonatas, has led complete Ravel explorations across Europe’s great halls, and is hailed for Rachmaninoff playing that marries intellect to visceral impact. Critics praise the “singing line” and wide dynamic color that let long phrases breathe and climaxes land with inevitability—hallmarks that make Giltburg instantly identifiable on today’s scene. He returns to Portland not only as a recitalist but as PPI’s series curator (2025–2028), deepening the conversation between artist and audience here at home.
His program traces an arc that fits his strengths: Chopin’s Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 35 (“Funeral March”), the inward Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52, and the diamond-cut Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, op. 54; after intermission, selected Préludes (ops. 3, 23, 32) illuminate the path to Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 36 (1931 version)—tauter, volatile, and perfectly suited to Giltburg’s architectural sense and voltage. Expect an afternoon where line, structure, and story align—and the thrill of live music, shared in the same room, does what recordings can’t. Feel the power of live music—together.