Portland Piano International Presents Boris Giltburg in Recital, October 5
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chopin’s “Funeral March” Sonata and Rachmaninoff’s Sonata No. 2 anchor an afternoon of lyric line, structural clarity, and high-voltage pianism.
Sunday, October 5, 2025 • 4:00 PM
PSU’s Lincoln Performance Hall
Portland, OR — Portland Piano International (PPI) welcomes back Boris Giltburg, an artist instantly identifiable for long singing lines, transparent textures, and climaxes that land with purpose. Lauded for a “singing line, variety of touch and broad dynamic palette capable of great surges of energy” (Washington Post), and admired for performances where calm poise and emphatic engagement coexist, Giltburg pairs rare intellectual scope with a communicator’s instinct. In Beethoven’s 250th anniversary year (2020) he filmed and recorded all 32 sonatas while writing about the journey; he has led complete Ravel explorations across Europe’s great halls; and he’s widely recognized as a foremost Rachmaninoff interpreter with award-winning recordings. He deepens his ties to Portland as PPI’s Guest Artistic Curator (2025–2028).
Giltburg’s hallmark balance of narrative intensity and lucid architecture translates directly in the hall. Phrases breathe, colors shift with intention, and climaxes feel inevitable rather than inflated—qualities that help audiences follow the arc of a piece from first note to last. That combination of clarity and voltage is what sets him apart from his contemporaries: he invites listeners inside the score without sacrificing sweep, turning great repertoire into experiences that feel newly discovered yet emotionally grounded.
This recital places those strengths in conversation with Frédéric Chopin. The program opens with the imposing Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 35 (“Funeral March”), where Giltburg’s control of line and proportion anchors the famous march within the sonata’s larger drama. The Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52 follows—an exquisite study in evolving melody and harmonic illumination—before the diamond-cut brilliance of the Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, op. 54, whose mercurial sparkle rewards his precision of voicing and rhythmic poise.
After intermission, Giltburg turns to Sergei Rachmaninoff with a hand-curated sequence of Préludes (from op. 3, op. 23, and op. 32) that showcase bell sonorities, whispered inner voices, and quicksilver atmosphere shifts—colors he renders with uncommon transparency. The afternoon culminates in Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 36 (1931 version): a tauter, more concentrated revision by the composer. Here Giltburg’s architectural sense and dynamic range come to the fore, shaping a single sweeping arc whose thematic cross-references register with thrilling clarity.
Boris Giltburg, Program
Frédéric Chopin
Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 35 (“Funeral March”)
Ballade No. 4 in F Minor, op. 52
Scherzo No. 4 in E Major, op. 54
Sergei Rachmaninoff
Selected Préludes from op. 3, op. 23, and op. 32
Sonata No. 2 in B-flat Minor, op. 36 (1931 version)
Tickets & Information: portlandpiano.org/boris-giltburg
Venue: Lincoln Performance Hall, Portland State University, Portland, OR
Date/Time: Sunday, October 5, 2025 • 4:00 PM
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MEDIA CONTACT: Jonathan Eifert, 347.741.1913
jonathan.eifert@goldsoundmedia.com
HIGH-RES PHOTOS [DOWNLOAD]
PORTLAND PIANO INTERNATIONAL has presented more than 220 artists in recital and through outreach activities. Some of the greatest pianists in the world of music have played for Portland audiences because of this organization. While pianists have many opportunities to play the concerto repertoire, this is one of only a handful of recital series that remains devoted to the solo piano recital. Portland Piano International is a vital part of Portland's quality cultural life and it has consistently garnered praise from both the local and national media, heralded a "consistently brilliant Piano Recital Series" (Willamette Week) and "one of this city's musical treasures" (The Oregonian).