“…pianist Robert Russo, one of the most refined pianists we have had throughout the FestivaL…”
(Victoria Art Festival – Gozo, Malta – July 9th, 2012)
“…He joined Italian talent and passion together with the classical style of North Europe […] He showed his incredibile talent playing in a perfect way a Prelude and a Nocturne by Alexander Scriabin, written for the left hand only…”
(Marco Polo – Vancouver, Canada – October 2005)
“…It was a lusty pleasure to hear Roberto Russo in that recital: eloquent, broadly dramatic.…”
(Arts & Arts – New York, March 10th, 1997)
“The Italian piano player Roberto Russo has been a phenomenon…living proof of confidence and style…”
(Peter Donneweg – “Südkurier”, Baden -Württemberg, Germany – September 12th, 1987).
“This beautiful CD recorded by Roberto Russo gives us a significant music anthology that, starting from Debussy’s Preludes, comes up to some pieces composed by Russo himself. The choice is precious…” – “The only critic that once could be done to music like that written by Roberto Russo is to be tonal. But as we left – although hardly – the dictates of Darmstadt and its “little babies” (thankfully a dying breed, despite of some authoritative nostalgia of old caryatids and periodic flashbacks of famous interpreters), also tonality is welcome, or even the C major when a composer has something to say. Russo’s pieces reveal a true sensibility, knowledge of the instrument and great skills as a composer. What do You want more? Skills that the young composer-performer also demonstrates on the executive side, in the definition of “character” of these pages, so different from one another.”
(Riccardo Risaliti – Florence, Italy – “CD Classica” – 2003)
“…but also as a composer Roberto Russo presents here nine examples of Prelude: a very unusual surprise… Some of them really extraordinary. This is a CD nobody should miss.”
(Vassili D’Arno – “Strumenti e Musica” – Ancona, Italy – December 2002)
“…Roberto Russo, a very talented pianist, has thoroughly dedicated his own program to Schumann, giving a very personal interpretation…He has interpreted the F Major Novelette with a distinct sensibility and a very refined touch…
(Herbert Paulmichl and Gerhard Mair – “Dolomiten” – Bolzano, Italy – August the 22th, 1991)
“…the Kinderszenen op. 15 by Robert Schumann: 13 water colours made of dreaming musicality that the young pianist interpreted with such a spontaneity which could be defined “strictly confidential”. Yes, this is exactly the relationship that Roberto Russo seems to establish with the keyboard of his instrument: he touches it with familiarity; almost he caresses it in the pianissimo; he often grazes it with his face: he gets near it almost whispering words. He also taps and hits it with vigour, but always in this way, with this strange measure…”
(Silvano Sardi – “Alto Adige” – Bolzano, Italy – August the 10th, 1991)
“…three gradation of romantic sensibility that the young pianist has interpreted with a superb variety of touch and sound, through a prodigious mutation of dynamic choices, with the sparkling shades of his accurate diction.”
(Vassili D’Arno – “Strumenti e Musica” – Ancona, Italy – March 1991)
“…he has proven to be a sensible and mature musician, showing that he can face challenging issues in a very natural way…The young piano player has given evidence of having not only technical gifts but also a remarkable care of the sound (extremely beautiful is the sonority that this young interpreter can offer) and exceptional elegance in the phrasings….In Schumann Sonata op. 11 he not only overcame all difficulties of Schumann piano writing, but above all he could enter his complex interior world, interpreting it in the most convincing and enchanting way….”
(Lucia Innocenti Caramelli – “Il Tirreno” – Livorno, Italy – December the 11th, 1990)
“…he has shown confidence and professionality. He rendered with sensibility the Andante and with “fresh” emotionality the Presto.”
(Antonio Garro – “Gazzetta del Sud” – Cosenza, Italy – October the 11th, 1990)
“…I was struck by the incredible fluidity of his performance, characterised by an extreme clarity of phrasing, ending with the astonishing poetic in the Adagio of the Beethoven’s Sonata.”
(Luigi Masiero – “Anteprima” – Rovigo, Italy – March the 15th, 1990)
“…With an apparent ease, Roberto Russo has shown a great style in different parts of the concert, especially when music demanded imagination, intuition and virtuosity.”
(R.G. – “Gazzetta di Parma” – Parma, Italy – April the 16th, 1989)
“… From the beginning he captured our interest through the perfection of his playing, comparable to that of the greatest pianists […] His singing line, incredibly poetic, comes from that noble sprezzatura (charme, liberty) very exalted by Italian old Musicians, as an element of good taste going on all rules […] Debussy’s preludes, almost pictorial in their density, shine harmony and architecture, and are infused with forgotten colours, not achieved after Gieseking.”
(Brenno Boccadoro – Geneva, Switzerland – April the 13th, 2008)
“I have listened very carefully to your CD performance of my father’s three jazz preludes, and I feel that you have truly captured the spirit of what my father had in mind when he wrote it in l926″
(Alan Gershwin, composer – New York (USA) – December the 2nd, 2003)
“…Russo performs with careful attention to style and character as established by each composer….
Russo masterfully captures the mood of each Prelude. The Preludes by Roberto Russo himself are among this reviewer’s favorites.
….As is the case in each piece on the CD, Russo’s performance here is expressive and engaging. It is in this final set that Russo’s own style and command of the instrument take center stage.”
(Terrie L Manno, Professor of Music/Piano – Minnesota State University Moorhead, June the 24, 2003)
“…Perhaps the word ‘Magnifico’ would describe my general impression of his talents as a performing artist, composer and pianist…He doesn’t represent their music as his interpretation, but let them speak for themselves…This, in my humble opinion, is the sign of a great performer!”
(Laszlo Gati, conductor – Vancouver, Canada – December the 9th, 2002)
“The new CD by Roberto Russo is a splendid contribution, one of the most thoughtful and evocative performances that I have heard for some time. The music breathes easily, with a sense of time and space that gives a poetic nature to many of the preludes. The Russo pieces themselves are a fine addition to the repertoire, linking modern and traditional values in the most acceptable way. I look forward very much to the next CD”
(Michael Stimpson, composer – Southampton, England – December the 3rd, 2002)
“…A fine pianist, with much promise.”
(Alan Gershwin, composer – New York, October the 20th, 2002)
“…He has truly reached remarkable technical and artistic maturity.”
(Hugo Aisemberg, pianist – Pesaro, Italy – July the 5th, 1992)
“…Roberto Russo is a young piano player endowed with a genuine artistic talent. He has excellent musical and pianistic qualities, together with a fine cleverness, authentic flair and interesting creativeness…”
(Edith Murano, pianist – Geneva, Switzerland – May the 115th, 1992)
“… Roberto Russo is endowed with extraordinary intellectual, musical and interpretative qualities…”
(Silvano Sardi, critic, composer – Borgo San Lorenzo, Italy – July the 2nd, 1992)
“…I was particularly struck by his remarkable musical qualities and his constant diligence…”
(Hector Moreno, pianist – Firenze, Italy – May the 27th, 1992)
“…I have found remarkable musical and instrumental qualities, together with a solid technical preparation. This distinguishes him among many young Italian talented pianist.”
(Daniel Rivera, pianist – Firenze, Italy – July the 10th, 1992)
“…I consider his musical talent, his artistic sensibility, together with his cleverness, of high class.”
(Maria Tipo, pianist – Firenze, Italy – May the 15th, 1992)
“…A young pianist with such a style and a brilliant prospect. I am honoured and grateful to him”…
(Countess Marcella Pontello – Firenze, Italy – February the 18th, 1991)
