The Russian-born pianist Mikhail Volchok studied with Yakov Zak, and boasts an impressive list of international performance and teaching credits. If Volchok teaches as well as he plays, it might be a good idea to go study with him. His direct and uncluttered late Brahms interpretations hold their own in company with the more individually etched Kempff and Grimaud single-disc editions of Op. 116 through Op. 119.
The sophisticated yet understated linear interplay throughout Volchok’s legato-oriented Op. 118 No. 4 F minor Intermezzo holds increasing interest on repeated hearings. He underlines expressive points in the A minor Op. 116 No. 2 and A major Op. 118 No. 2 pieces chiefly through variety of articulation. The Romanze Op. 118 No. 5’s phrases have an ebb and flow that moves easily over the barlines.
To be sure, his literalism sometimes yields relatively uneventful results, especially via comparative listening. For example, Op. 117 No. 1 is admirably clear and straightforward, yet the subtle give and take and more colorful melody/accompaniment differentiation distinguishing Emanuel Ax’s reading digs deeper. Volchok’s overly loud, flattened-out Op. 119 No. 3 misses the lilt and grace of Richard Goode’s recording, let alone Myra Hess’s signature rendition. Pianistic solidity occasionally takes precedence over musical considerations, such as in a few telltale accented upbeats (the phrasing of the Op. 118 No. 3 Ballade’s main theme). However, these are minor quibbles in light of the heartfelt eloquence shining through most of the selections. Worth hearing.
