In her performance, the dynamics of her mentor Barenboim and the clarity of Schiff seemed to merge, while her own extraordinary humanity shone through, projecting a unique vision across the works. The depth of sound and harmonic richness she created was remarkable—not from volume or technical display, but from her profound connection to the music. From Beethoven’s Pastoral to Haydn’s tremolos and Alkan’s Piano Symphony, every passage revealed her insight and curiosity, bringing the Steinway at Weill Recital Hall to life in a way that felt both intimate and monumental.

The clip begins with Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto, featuring a “scherzo-like” interlude from Belgian soprano Désirée Artôt’s repertoire, highlighting Vinnitskaya’s emphasis on singing. In Boston, her performance conveyed a rhapsodic, selfless freedom. For the encore, she played Rachmaninoff’s Étude-tableau Op. 39, No. 5 as an eruptive inner monologue, reminiscent of Sergei Babayan’s New York recital, whose playing has been praised for its unmatched touch, phrasing, and virtuosity. The reviewer felt personally moved by Vinnitskaya’s passion.

Mallwitz’s performance of Schubert captivates with its vibrant energy and masterful structure. In the Fourth Movement of the Ninth Symphony, strings and brass gradually intertwine, building into a massive wave of sound that fully realizes the work’s emotional scope. The lyrical melodies, sudden orchestral outbursts, the Allegro non troppo’s relentless energy, and unexpected harmonic shifts highlight the symphony’s dynamic contrasts. Mallwitz’s positive, lively interpretation vividly brings out Schubert’s free musical spirit, guiding the listener to the work’s exhilarating heights.

Sergei Babayan impressed at Carnegie’s Zankel Hall with meticulously controlled, emotionally rich performances of Rachmaninoff, Liszt, and Ryabov’s Fantasia. His Schumann Kreisleriana reshaped structure with improvisatory freedom, yet he avoided late-Romantic clichés, balancing turbulent passages with expressive design and slow sections with glittering, melancholic lyricism. Hailed for his emotional intensity, tonal color, and virtuosity, Babayan has been called “a genius” by Le Devoir and praised by Le Figaro for his unmatched touch and phrasing.

Leif Ove Andsnes, familiar with Dvořák since childhood, explored the composer’s nuanced cycle during the pandemic, balancing spiritual pieces like In the Old Castle with everyday sketches such as Toying. At Carnegie Hall, his recital ranged from folk-like melodies to Vustin’s Lamento, where shifting harmonies and restrained outbursts conveyed deep emotion, leading into Janáček’s 1.X.1905 “From the Street”, a mournful tribute to a young Czech worker. Silvestrov’s serene work followed as a plea for beauty. Throughout, Andsnes masterfully shaped Dvořák’s Poetic Tone Pictures, revealing both subtlety and lyrical brilliance.