A native of Tbilisi, Georgia, Elisabeth Leonskaja was trained and made her early career in the former Soviet Union. She left in 1974, making her home in Vienna. Since then, she has amassed a substantial discography, including the complete sonatas of Mozart and Schubert and a great deal of Chopin. Her latest release is the classic coupling of the Schumann and Grieg concertos.

The expressive finesse of the Lucerne winds at the beginning of the Schumann Concerto is striking. Leonskaja’s rubato is so idiosyncratic and pervasive that one sometimes wonders at the ability of Sanderling and his players to follow and reflect. That they inevitably do makes hand-in-glove ensemble one of the outstanding attributes of this collaboration. Literalists might quibble that Leonskaja’s demarcation of sections of the score with elaborate rallentandos tends to rob individual movements of their forward momentum. One could counter that her habitual focus is lavished on the immediate rather than preoccupied with the broader terrain. The calibrations of Leonskaja’s pianissimos seem infinite and indeed it is at the quiet end of the piano’s dynamic spectrum that she seems most happy. This allows her to dart, apparition-like, in and out of the orchestra’s more robust textures. Yet, when called upon, Leonskaja occupies the solo spotlight front and centre. Her meticulous observation of Schumann’s every articulation indication is admirable. The Intermezzo, happily devoid of anything mincing or precious, showcases the naturalness of her rhetoric. Rhythmic vitality abounds in a finale that, even in its most quiet moments, is always dancing.

Leonskaja seems to hold the Grieg Concerto – which, despite many similarities to the Schumann, postdates it by 23 years – at something of an arm’s length. Strangely, the first movement seems to speak only beginning with the cadenza. Once in the door, however, we’re really inside. The Adagio unfolds with a deeply touching expressivity and the finale is fiercely dramatic. Ultimately, this is highly conscious piano-playing of an individual personal stamp rarely encountered these days. The wholehearted support of Sanderling and the Lucerne Symphony Orchestra at every juncture make these readings quite compelling.

This article originally appeared in the Spring 2024 issue of International Piano. Never miss an issue – subscribe today