It all began with Bach’s Das Wohltemperierte Klavier. From this monumental cornerstone of “form,” conceived as a kind of “collection,” Andrea Lucchesini symbolically built the pianistic “journey” he presented at the STRADIVARIfestival—The Piano, The Future of Classical Music; The Classical Music of the Future—held at the Museo del Violino.

It was a retracing of what followed the creation of Bach’s 48 Preludes and Fugues (Books I and II) over time, beginning with Domenico Scarlatti, passing through Fryderyk Chopin, and arriving at the contemporary world of Luciano Berio with his Six Encores. It was an “exercise” rich in merit, born not only of an epiphany of interpretative elegance, but above all of an almost didactic intention: to help the audience appreciate the technical and stylistic evolution of these structured collections, while simultaneously highlighting their similarities and differences. The alternation between “ancient” and “modern” offered listeners this valuable perspective.

This approach was in fact already envisioned by Berio himself, who, together with Lucchesini, had explored this alternatim: the Sonatas K.491 in D major, K.454 in G major, K.239 in F minor, K.466 in F minor, K.342 in A major, K.146 in G major by Domenico Scarlatti (even if not conceived as a formal “collection”), alongside Berio’s Six Encores—in particular Brin, Leaf, Erdenklavier, Wasserklavier, Luftklavier, Feuerklavier. The program concluded with another monumental “collection” from the height of the nineteenth century: the 24 Preludes, Op. 28 by Frédéric Chopin.

Throughout, Lucchesini proved unmatched in highlighting the many variations, structural and stylistic nuances, and the wide range of sonic and emotional landscapes assumed by the form of the short, self-contained keyboard piece.

His rendering of Scarlatti’s Sonatas was supremely elegant. Lucchesini moves with consummate mastery within the Scarlattian sonata universe, poised between still-harpsichord-like sonorities and more advanced, pianistic ones. Particularly noteworthy was his handling of the ornaments, which abound gracefully in the compositional texture and were executed with refined clarity.

In Berio, the Italian pianist illuminated those elements that draw from the past—such as the use of ostinato reimagined through a contemporary lens—alongside daring harmonic language and bold rhythmic articulations.

Then came Chopin’s 24 Preludes, Op. 28: another extraordinary journey into the universe and poetics of the Polish composer. A severe, clean style, yet ready to transform into a sensory whirlwind whenever Chopin yields to his marvelous and unrestrained creative impulse. Lucchesini measured with extreme precision the intense and profound phrases shaping each musical line, each individual piece.

No fewer than three encores were offered: two miniatures of exceptional beauty—the Impromptus by Franz Schubert—and a further Sonata by Domenico Scarlatti, dedicated to Maria Tipo, the great Italian concert pianist and long-time teacher of Lucchesini, who recently passed away.

The STRADIVARIfestival—The Piano, The Future of Classical Music; The Classical Music of the Future—thus concluded with yet another success. A rich and engaging series featuring major personalities, it confirmed the excellent work of Roberto Codazzi at the helm of one of the most significant events in the city’s musical life and in the concert activity of the Museo del Violino.

Applause!

Photos by Francesco Sessa Ventura