The Scotsman, UK
Sept 6 2004
Sergey and Lusine Khachatryan
SARAH JONES
QUEEN’S HALL, EDINBURGH
SERGEY Khachatryan, the 18-year-old Armenian violinist, is one of the
most naturally gifted musicians on the international circuit.
Seemingly immune to the more negative associations of hype which
attend young musicians, the sober Khachatryan asserted his class in
this final Queen’s Hall concert of the International Festival through
his trademark refined playing; never mannered, but mature, assured
and of an intense musicianship.
His solo Bach Violin Sonata No 2 in A Minor was steeped in eloquence
and imagination, stamped with his own subtle, contemporary vision.
Likewise the Mozart Sonata for Piano and Violin in E minor, played
with sister Lucine, two years his senior. The two frequently perform
together, and have a perfect awareness of the balance between their
two instruments, subtly enhancing each other’s performance, although
Lucine sometimes overeggs the rubato, impeding the forward momentum.
But Sergey did not seem quite comfortable in the Brahms or Debussy
Sonatas. There were delightful moments in both, but the central
fantasque of the Debussy didn’t quite deliver fantasy and Khachatryan
seemed unsure of its direction.