This essay establishes a parallel between 20th-century “romantic” pianism and the piano art of our contemporaries. The interpretations of Alfred Cortot, Vladimir Sofronitsky, Heinrich Neuhaus and Konstantin Igumnov exemplify the expressive means characteristic of the romantic piano tradition. The ties with this tradition have been lost in the art of contemporary piano interpretations, with original poetic inspiration morphing either into a demonstration of virtuosity for its own sake, or into an imitation of romantic feeling. Meanwhile, another trend in contemporary pianism can be found beyond the boundaries of mainstream tendencies. Despite the many differences in the art of such pianists as Mikhail Pletnev, Ivo Pogorelich, their interpretations are all defined by a feeling of nostalgia for the lost romantic pianism of a recent past. Their interpretations of works by Chopin, Tchaikovsky, Liszt combine sensitive intonations, a definite plasticity in their dynamic lines and freedom in their musical phrasing, along with an emotional distance and cool intellectual ratio. However, this paradoxical synthesis may very well enable a nostalgic return to a romantic world vision in our own times, which are so far from any form of romanticism.
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