Igor Lazko (, ), (b.

St Petersburg Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

, 1949), is a Russian classical

pianist A pianist ( , ) is a musician who plays the piano. A pianist's repertoire may include music from a diverse variety of styles, such as traditional classical music, jazz piano, jazz, blues piano, blues, and popular music, including rock music, ...

who has made a distinguished international career as performer, recording artist and teacher of other pianists.

Early career in Russia

Igor Lazko is descended from a family renowned for its musicians through several generations. When he was six years old, he was admitted to the special school for young musicians in the Rimsky-Korsakov Conservatory, where his professors were

Pavel Serebryakov Pavel Alekseyevich Serebryakov (; 28 February 1909 – 17 August 1977) was a Soviet classical pianist and pedagogue. Serebryakov began touring the USSR after ranking 2nd at the I National Competition (1933). A professor at the Leningrad Cons ...

and Sophia Lekhovitskaya. He was profoundly affected by the example of

Glenn Gould Glenn Herbert Gould (; né Gold; 25 September 19324 October 1982) was a Canadian classical pianist. He was among the most famous and celebrated pianists of the 20th century, renowned as an interpreter of the keyboard works of Johann Sebastian ...

's playing during his tour in the Soviet Union in 1957, and from this and from Gould's recordings he drew a wealth of inspiration: the pianist describes this in a published article. At a very young age, he displayed exceptional gifts and when only 14 he became the youngest laureate in the history of the Johann Sebastian Bach International Music Competition at

Leipzig Leipzig (, ; ; Upper Saxon: ; ) is the most populous city in the States of Germany, German state of Saxony. The city has a population of 628,718 inhabitants as of 2023. It is the List of cities in Germany by population, eighth-largest city in Ge ...

, receiving from them the bronze medal. Soon afterwards (in 1965), he recorded the Two- and Three-Part

Inventions An invention is a unique or novel device, method, composition, idea, or process. An invention may be an improvement upon a machine, product, or process for increasing efficiency or lowering cost. It may also be an entirely new concept. If an ...

for the Russian

Melodiya Melodiya () is a Russian record label. It was the state-owned major record company of the Soviet Union. History Melodiya was established in 1964 as the "All-Union Gramophone Record Firm of the USSR Ministry of Culture Melodiya" in accordance wi ...

record label, the disc which launched his recording career. His hard work and his exceptional talent opened for him the very finest teaching that Russia had to offer. He perfected himself at the higher Tchaikowsky Conservatory in Moscow in the class of Jakov Zak, successor of the master

Heinrich Neuhaus Heinrich Gustav Neuhaus (, , Genrikh Gustavovič Nejgauz, 10 October 1964) was a Russian pianist and teacher. Part of a musical dynasty, he grew up in a Polish-speaking household. He taught at the Moscow Conservatory from 1922 to 1964. Neuhaus ...

, and took the First Prize in all his paths of study. From 1974 to 1977, he pursued a career as soloist and chamber musician in the Soviet Union, and was soloist with the Leningrad Philharmonic. In the USSR, he performed in duo with the cellist Alexey Lazko (appearing before the Leningrad Philharmonic Society in 1965), and in trio with Mirra Lvovna Furer-Lazko.

Belgrade

From 1978 to 1992, he was professor at the

University of Belgrade The University of Belgrade () is a public university, public research university in Belgrade, Serbia. It is the oldest and largest modern university in Serbia. Founded in 1808 as the Belgrade Higher School in revolutionary Serbia, by 1838 it me ...

. In this period he recorded the six

Partitas Partita (also ''partie'', ''partia'', ''parthia'', or ''parthie'') closely resemble the dance suites of the Baroque Period (and are often used synonymously with suites) with the addition of a prelude movement at the beginning of each partita. I ...

and the

Goldberg Variations The ''Goldberg Variations'' (), BWV 988, is a musical composition for keyboard by Johann Sebastian Bach, consisting of an aria and a set of thirty variations. First published in 1741, it is named after Johann Gottlieb Goldberg, who may ...

of J.S. Bach, as well as works of

Tchaikovsky Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky ( ; 7 May 1840 – 6 November 1893) was a Russian composer during the Romantic period. He was the first Russian composer whose music made a lasting impression internationally. Tchaikovsky wrote some of the most popular ...

and of other composers. The concert which he dedicated to the memory of the Canadian pianist

was proclaimed 'the best interpretation of the 1982–1983 season' in Belgrade. Intensively engaged in the musical life of the country, his Belgrade Festival recital of 1987 consisted entirely of Serbian composers, while his 1989 recital was a Russian programme of

Moussorgsky Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (; ; ; – ) was a Russian composer, one of the group known as " The Five." He was an innovator of Russian music in the Romantic period and strove to achieve a uniquely Russian musical identity, often in deliberate ...

, Tchaikowsky ('The Seasons' op. 37, which he also recorded in Belgrade) and

Rachmaninoff Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of ...

. His 1987 recital with violinist Črtomir Šišković also combined Bach, Mozart and Tchaikowsky. After winning the 1981 Contemporary Music Congress at

Saint-Germain-en-Laye Saint-Germain-en-Laye () is a Communes of France, commune in the Yvelines Departments of France, department in the Île-de-France in north-central France. It is located in the western suburbs of Paris, from the Kilometre Zero, centre of Paris. ...

, his career also began to develop further in France. In 1985, at the 'Music Like Bach' Festival of

Nanterre Nanterre (; ) is the prefecture of the Hauts-de-Seine department in the western suburbs of Paris, France. It is located some northwest of the centre of Paris. In 2018, the commune had a population of 96,807. The eastern part of Nanterre, b ...

, he performed practically the complete klavier works of J.S. Bach.

Range

Igor Lazko has worked with such orchestral directors as

Yuri Temirkanov Yuri Khatuevich Temirkanov (; ; 10 December 1938 – 2 November 2023) was a Soviet and Russian conductor, named a People's Artist of the USSR. Early life Born in 1938 in the North Caucasus city of Nalchik, Temirkanov attended the Saint Petersburg ...

Mariss Jansons Mariss Ivars Georgs Jansons (14 January 1943 – 1 December 2019) was a Latvian Conducting, conductor, best known for his interpretations of Gustav Mahler, Mahler, Richard Strauss, Strauss, and Russian composers such as Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, ...

Vladislav Chernushenko Vladislav Alexandrovich Chernushenko (; born January 14, 1936) is a Soviet and Russian conductor, People's Artist of the USSR and State Prize laureate. He was educated at the , where his teacher was , and later moved to the Leningrad Conservato ...

and

Valery Gergiev Valery Abisalovich Gergiev (, ; ; born 2 May 1953) is a Russian conducting, conductor and opera company director. He is currently general director and artistic director of the Mariinsky Theatre and of the Bolshoi Theatre and artistic director o ...

, with the Philharmonic Orchestras of

Leningrad Saint Petersburg, formerly known as Petrograd and later Leningrad, is the List of cities and towns in Russia by population, second-largest city in Russia after Moscow. It is situated on the Neva, River Neva, at the head of the Gulf of Finland ...

and

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

, the National Chamber Orchestra of Canada, and with many European ensembles. Based in Paris since 1992, he continues to perform and teaches at the

Schola Cantorum The Schola Cantorum de Paris ( being ) is a private conservatory in Paris. It was founded in 1894 by Charles Bordes, Alexandre Guilmant and Vincent d'Indy as a counterbalance to the Paris Conservatoire's emphasis on opera. History The Schol ...

, at the National School of Music of Fresnes and in particular at the

Russian Conservatory Alexandre Scriabin Russian(s) may refer to: *Russians (), an ethnic group of the East Slavic peoples, primarily living in Russia and neighboring countries *A citizen of Russia *Russian language, the most widely spoken of the Slavic languages *''The Russians'', a b ...

in Paris. He is President Director of the

Nikolai Rubinstein Nikolai Grigoryevich Rubinstein (; – ) was a Russian pianist, conductor, and composer. He was the younger brother of Anton Rubinstein and a close friend of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky. Life Born to Jewish parents in Moscow, where his father ...

International Piano Concours (founded 1996) and is the Founder and President of the International Concours of the Conservatoire Russe Alexandre Scriabine (2001), in Paris. He is also associated with the

Jūrmala Jūrmala (; "seaside") is a state city in the Vidzeme region of Latvia, about west of Riga. Jūrmala is a resort town stretching and is sandwiched between the Gulf of Riga and the Lielupe River. It has a stretch of white-sand beach and is the ...

(

Latvia Latvia, officially the Republic of Latvia, is a country in the Baltic region of Northern Europe. It is one of the three Baltic states, along with Estonia to the north and Lithuania to the south. It borders Russia to the east and Belarus to t ...

) International Academic Music Competition for pianists, which reached its 11th Season in 2010. He is pianist of the Trio Mendelssohn, with violinist Alexandre Stajic and 'cellist Dorel Fodoreanu.

Artistry

Igor Lazko is a pure artist and an authentic pianist. He is also an outstanding chamber-musician. He possesses to the very highest degree that art of 'speaking' through the piano which is the mark of the greatest interpreters. He has the resources of an infallible technique (perhaps owing to his regular practice of the work of J.S. Bach). The refined lyricism of his playing and his symphonic projection of sound, allied to the spiritual power of his discourse give a great authenticity to his interpretations, 'a feast of sound of a very great beauty: with him the music becomes again what it was at its origin, limpid, simple and pure.' (A.M.M.).

Recordings mentioned

*Two- and Three-Part Inventions (J S Bach). (''Melodiya'' 10" 33D 19399/400) *Concerto for piano and orchestra in F minor (J S Bach) with Leningrad Chamber Orchestra conducted by Yuri Temirkanov (1968). *w. Alexey Lazko (cello): Works for piano and cello by Beethoven, Bach, Vivaldi, Brahms, Rachmananinoff, etc. 'Cellist's Golden Repertoire (2 CDs, published 2009). Kompozitor SPb CD 75. *Goldberg Variations, Bach (Belgrade): PGP - ''Produkcija Gramofonskih Ploċa Radio-Televisije Beograd'', SOKOJ RTB 2330172 (Sleevenotes April 1985, Issued 1987). *Partitas, Bach (Belgrade): PGP RTB 3130096 (Issued 17 January 1985) *The Seasons (Tchaikowsky), op 37a. PGP RTB 2130513. *w. Črtomir Šiškovič (violin): Sonata in G minor 'Didone abbandonata' (

Tartini Giuseppe Tartini (8 April 1692 – 26 February 1770) was an Italian composer and violinist of the Baroque era born in Pirano in the Republic of Venice (now Piran, Slovenia). Tartini was a prolific composer, composing over a hundred pieces for the ...

) op. 1 no. 10; Suite no 1 ( Švara Danilo); Sonatina in G major op. 100 (

Antonín Dvořák Antonín Leopold Dvořák ( ; ; 8September 18411May 1904) was a Czech composer. He frequently employed rhythms and other aspects of the folk music of Moravia and his native Bohemia, following the Romantic-era nationalist example of his predec ...

). PGP RTB 230049; Jugoton LSY-66243.Se
here
for listings. *w.

Alexandre Brussilovsky Alexandre may refer to: * Alexandre (given name) * Alexandre (surname) * Alexandre (film) See also

* Alexander * Alexandra (disambiguation) * Xano (disambiguation), a Portuguese hypocoristic of the name "Alexandre" {{Disambig ...

(violin): Sonata for violin and piano in A major (

César Franck César Auguste Jean Guillaume Hubert Franck (; 10 December 1822 – 8 November 1890) was a French Romantic music, Romantic composer, pianist, organist, and music teacher born in present-day Belgium. He was born in Liège (which at the time of h ...

); Sonata for violin and piano in E flat major (

Richard Strauss Richard Georg Strauss (; ; 11 June 1864 – 8 September 1949) was a German composer and conductor best known for his Tone poems (Strauss), tone poems and List of operas by Richard Strauss, operas. Considered a leading composer of the late Roman ...

). ''Suoni e colori'', ORCD 6712 (August 2000). *w. A Brussilovsky (violin), Nathanaelle Marie, works by Khandoshkin, Afanassiev, Cui, Balakirev,

Mussorgsky Modest Petrovich Mussorgsky (; ; ; – ) was a Russian composer, one of the group known as "The Five (composers), The Five." He was an innovator of Music of Russia, Russian music in the Romantic music, Romantic period and strove to achieve a ...

, Taneyev,

Arensky Anton Stepanovich Arensky (; – ) was a Russian composer of Romantic classical music, a pianist and a professor of music. Biography Arensky was born into an affluent, music-loving family in Novgorod, Russia. He was musically precocious and ha ...

Efrem Zimbalist Efrem Zimbalist (April 21 .S. April 9 1889 – February 22, 1985) was a Russian and American concert violinist, composer, conducting, conductor and director of the Curtis Institute of Music. Early life Efrem Zimbalist was born on April 9, 1 ...

. ''Suoni e colori'', 53005. *w. A Brussilovsky (violin), Amaury Wallez (bassoon), Michel Lethiec (clar.), Glinka: Trio Pathetique in D min. ''Suoni e colori'' 53004.

Sources and references

* Ghyslaine Guertin (Ed), ''Glenn Gould, Pluriel: Texts collected and presented by G. Guertin'' (at Conferences at Universities of Quebec and Montreal, 13–15 October 1987), including an article by Igor Lazko on Gould's 1957 Soviet tour. (Louise Courteau: Verdun, Quebec, 1988).
2007 Forest Hill Musical Days programme note biography of Lazko
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lazko, Igor Academic staff of the Schola Cantorum de Paris Academic staff of the University of Belgrade Russian male classical pianists Living people 1949 births 21st-century Russian classical pianists 21st-century Russian male musicians