Полина Осетинская

Throughout the Bach concertos, Osetinskaya played with precision and elegance, making the 2.7m Steinway sound as nimble as a finely tuned harpsichord the composer would have expected in his day. The modern pianoforte, of course, has dynamic range and an ability to sustain the sound completely, unlike a harpsichord, so the soloist has myriad options on how to voice the solo part. Osetinskaya opted for a light, but highly percussive touch in the fast, outer movements, which worked perfectly well.

Playing in a pool of overhead light, Osetinskaya visited the whole range of possibilities in five pieces by Bach transcribed — or arranged — by later hands. After the five Bach works, played end-to-end, the audience gave the pianist a resounding ovation. The largely Russian-speaking audience — judging from overheard conversations — reveled in Tchaikovsky’s Concert suite from the ballet “The Nutcracker”. Osetinskaya brought out the individual character of each movement. Flowers and ovations led to a beautifully understated encore: Bist du bei Mir from Anna Magdalena Bach’s famous notebook, tastefully decorated by Osetinskaya.

Polina Osetinskaya's Cleveland debut at Severance Music Center yesterday astonished and captivated even those who rarely attend classical music concerts. Her demanding program-built entirely on works originally written for other instruments, choir, or orchestra and transcribed for solo piano-was striking for its thoughtful design, luminous power, and flawless balance.

Pianist Polina Osetinskaya brings “The Art of Transcription” to Severance Music Center, reimagining orchestral and choral masterpieces for solo piano. Her emotionally rich program features works by Bach and Tchaikovsky, offering a transformative musical journey amid personal and political challenges.