Margherita will bring to China her programme “Fantasies”, released by Hänssler Classic in November 2024.
She will play Homage à Butterfly Lovers, composed by the italian composer Paolo Catenaccio, and dedicated to her. The piece resembles the themes of the Butterfly Lovers Concerto, telling the story of the famous Chinese legend.
Join her at the beginning of April on the 4-6-8.4 in Shanghai and Jianying.
A new conversation between Margherita Santi, pianist, and Stefan Pieper, journalist, about the new album Fantasies, has been published on the Online Merker – Die internationale Kulturplattform.
The 30-year-old musician, born in Verona and trained, among other places, at the Tchaikovsky Conservatory in Moscow, combines artistic excellence with a deep intellectual approach to music. As the founder of the Herbst Musicaux Festival in Verona, she creates new connections between music, other art forms, and her audience. In a conversation with Stefan Pieper, she revealed herself as an artist of high intellectual maturity, one who not only plays music but also pursues a broader societal mission through it.
The album was recorded in the neoclassical Villa Alba, perched above the lake, its bright walls glowing in the sunlight. The location was no coincidence—its special atmosphere, where legends like Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and other piano greats once performed, perfectly aligns with Santi’s artistic vision. In her discussion with Stefan Pieper, she emerged as a musician of profound intellectual depth, one who sees music not merely as performance but as a means of cultural and social engagement.
Yes, Villa Alba in Gardone Riviera. It’s truly a magical place—a neoclassical villa with a vast garden. A few decades ago, some of the greatest pianists performed there, including Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and many others. That special atmosphere is still palpable today. Concerts are still held there regularly, especially in the summer and early autumn.
It developed over several years. Of course, I wanted to record these masterpieces, but I was searching for a deeper connection between them. I believe that composers did not simply write their music—they were truly inspired. As Plato said: Music does not arise from rules; it is not a science. Instead, composers discover it in a dimension beyond our everyday experience.
Mozart described this beautifully in a letter to his father: the music was already there—he only had to write it down. It reminds me of Michelangelo, who said that the statue was already inside the marble, and he merely had to reveal it. In such moments, the composer is not the actual creator but rather a medium. And I believe the same applies to us performers. In the best moments, we are simply a conduit for the music.
Exactly. I see fantasy as a force that guides composers in their creative process. It is about much more than just the musical form of a fantasy. Look at the progression: We have Mozart’s Fantasia, which flows like an improvisation, then Beethoven’s “Sonata quasi una fantasia”, Chopin’s Fantasia, and finally Schumann’s “Faschingsschwank”, which unfolds like a kaleidoscope of different characters.
You can observe a fascinating evolution—how Mozart begins with those triplets in D minor, and how similar figures reappear at the beginning of Beethoven’s sonata. In Chopin and Schumann, this idea then expands into entirely new dimensions.
Music in the 18th and 19th centuries was shaped by many formal conventions. In my understanding, these works express a deep longing to transcend those boundaries and explore new realms of freedom.
Beethoven often breaks the rules, but never arbitrarily—it always arises from a deeper expressive necessity. When working on the Moonlight Sonata, I first tried to forget everything I had ever heard or read about it. At the very beginning, I did listen to some historical recordings, such as Claudio Arrau’s, when I first studied the score. But after that, I followed my own path, trying to feel what this piece truly wants to express.
In the first movement, I perhaps take more time than usual to create this special, almost timeless atmosphere. With such a famous work, there is a great risk of falling into preconceived interpretations. But this music demands a special depth right from the start. You cannot gradually ease into it—you have to dive in immediately.
With Chopin, I always experience these strong contrasts, especially in the middle section, which, to me, feels like a prayer. I imagine a person, alone in a church, in deep connection with something higher. Not necessarily in a religious sense—it’s that universal feeling of hope and depth that every human being understands.
The harmonies in that section are both simple and extraordinary. And then there are those virtuosic passages, which are never just about virtuosity, but always carry a deeper meaning.
Yes, here we are dealing with a highly vivid, almost theatrical fantasy! It’s like a kaleidoscope of different characters. The first, longer piece throws us right into the carnival, followed by a very intimate second movement. I find the Scherzino particularly interesting – it is both joyful and furious at the same time. The fourth movement is simply magnificent, full of passion and melody, before everything culminates in a rousing finale.
But do you know what fascinates me the most? The psychological depth beneath this colorful surface. When engaging with Schumann, one wonders: Are these really different characters, or perhaps facets of a single personality? The characters are clearly defined, yet there is this astonishing complexity – as if Schumann had discovered this entire wealth of characters within himself.
The Herbst Musicaux Festival is now seven years old, and from the very beginning, it was more than just a concert series. My goal was to create a true connection between music, people, and nature. That’s why most of the concerts take place in gardens or historic palaces. Each year, we develop a philosophical theme that connects music and people. It is important to me to show that classical music is not just for specialists. True music is medicine for the soul of every human being.
That’s why we also combine it with other art forms—painting, literature, theater. This creates new ways of access because everyone brings their own background and experiences with them.
That actually benefits me a lot. I enjoy observing, trying to understand what happens on different levels, how things are interconnected. A sociological background provides certain tools for this, but much of it is also about intuition and keen observation.
This perspective helps me understand classical music—how the audience perceives it, how we can build bridges at the festival. It allows me to grasp things on a level that goes beyond the music itself. Of course, I am primarily a pianist, but this broader perspective is very important to me. I feel a deep curiosity and a desire to understand things on a deeper level.
Yes, studying with Natalia Trull was a formative experience. The Russian piano school has an incredible tradition. It was very intense—demanding a lot of discipline and hard work at the highest level. I learned a great deal, especially about the physical aspects of playing—how to use my body, my hands. That was a completely new dimension for me.
And of course, studying in a different country changes you as a person. You have to open yourself up, question your own beliefs. As an artist, you absorb all these experiences and somehow give them back through music.
That comes from my family, which has strong ties to the East. Even as a child, I was fascinated by Chinese painting, calligraphy, and small art objects. I could spend hours looking at the characters and wood carvings—I was surrounded by them. These different concepts of beauty—or perhaps they are just different aspects of the same beauty—shaped me from an early age.
For me, these are not opposites—they enrich each other. In chamber music, you learn so much from other instruments, from their unique possibilities that differ from the piano. And when you play with truly great partners, a communication beyond words emerges. You feel what the other means, and in doing so, you discover new aspects of your own playing.
It’s about true, genuine collaboration—not just staying in the same tempo, but communicating on a deeper level. This also applies to a piano concerto: in essence, it is a large-scale piece of chamber music. Even when playing solo, I often think orchestrally, because the piano has this immense range—from the very low to the very high.
I will be presenting Fantasies in various countries—starting on January 19 in Arco, near my hometown, followed by performances in Austria, Italy, and Spain. I am especially excited about my solo debut in China with this program. In addition, I have several performances of Grieg’s Piano Concerto coming up.
Apart from that, the plan is simple: keep practicing and give my very best at every concert.
Margherita Santi è ospite a Radio Vaticana per il programma ZOOM condotto da Luigi Picardi presso gli Studi Radiofonici Vaticani.
In onda domani alle ore 14.10 sui seguenti canali:
103.8 FM per Roma città
105 FM per Roma e provincia
in Italia su DAB+ la radio digitale e canale tv 733
in streaming https://www.vaticannews.va/it.html
La trasmissione sarà disponibile in podcast successivamente: https://www.vaticannews.va/it/podcast/radio-vaticana-musica/zoom.html
L’album Fantasies ha ricevuto cinque stelle dalla critica nella rivista specializzata Amadeus Magazine nel numero di gennaio 2025.
This magnificent piece is one of tracks on Fantasies.
In this piece we sense a truly wide emotional spectrum, developing at the same time, the wires of a story that ends with a triumphal chord in A flat major.
Full video is available on YouTube.
Behind the album FANTASIES, there are reflections and ideas.
Here Margherita talks about it, showing what her musical and artistic path led her to.
Today, we begin with this album dedicated to the genre of the Fantasia, interpreted in its plural form in the title. Starting from the 18th century with the so-called “fantasieren,” evoking improvisation, rhapsody, and divination, the journey leads to more defined forms, such as Chopin’s Fantasia Op. 49 or Schumann’s Carnaval de Vienne, whose subtitle speaks of “Fantasy Pictures.”
Margherita Santi, a young pianist already established across Europe and Russia, trained at the Moscow Conservatory, a background that resonates in her technique. Her playing combines elements of both Italian and Russian schools, offering a brilliant virtuosity paired with depth, avoiding percussive sounds and engaging her entire body in her artistry. Unsurprisingly, she has distinguished herself in romantic concertos such as Schumann’s Piano Concerto, Rachmaninoff’s Second, and Chopin’s First. For her Master’s degree, she performed a monographic recital dedicated to Schumann’s three sonatas, a repertoire demanding not only exceptional technical prowess but also the ability to deeply understand and convey the emotional and intellectual essence of music. This ability to delve into the core of music and translate its meaning into pianistic expression is among her greatest strengths. Unlike the common tendency to prioritize effect over emotion, Santi takes the correct path—starting from emotion and arriving at effect.
This Mozartian masterpiece, lasting just seven minutes, encapsulates a range of moods and complex spiritual universes. It begins with the free flow of arpeggios that, as Santi aptly notes in the album booklet, seem to emerge from another dimension, beyond time and space. Her performance opens with a searching, rhapsodic fantasy, reflective arpeggios that seem to explore and seek a path. This flows into an Adagio, which Santi takes slower than usual, maintaining an underlying tension and preserving the melodic line throughout. The transition to the Allegretto is strikingly sharp, embodying the rapid scales that characterize 18th-century improvisation. In this lively tempo, Santi captures a mood reminiscent of opera buffa, with playful, occasionally exaggerated, agogic shifts. Her interpretation is never provocative but deeply reasoned and heartfelt.
In her interpretation of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata, a title not given by the composer but inspired by the nocturnal atmosphere of the Adagio, Santi evokes imagery akin to a Caspar David Friedrich painting, with pervasive pianissimo textures.
In the Finale, Santi astonishes with her natural, unfaltering virtuosity. Beyond her flawless execution of every note, she demonstrates a mature understanding of phrasing, capturing the overall Beethovenian form while giving each episode and mood its distinct character. For instance, in more intense passages, she uses a sharp staccatissimo that conveys a revolutionary edge, while in lyrical themes, her playing softens, showcasing a beautiful cantabile quality. This performance embodies a profound emotional range and a dedication to conveying the composer’s intentions before translating them into sound.
Much like the Polonaise-Fantaisie, this work reflects Chopin’s improvisational spirit, rooted in harmonic progressions and an improvisatory style of fantasy. The formal structure intertwines with the Romantic ideal of carpe diem, evoking a quintessential Romantic wandering. Santi strikes a perfect balance between artistry and control of sound and form, excelling in aesthetic expression. In the central chorale, which she describes as almost a prayer, Santi creates an atmosphere of mystical concentration. As with the first movement of the Moonlight Sonata or the Adagio in Mozart’s Fantasy, she is unafraid to slow the tempo significantly, allowing time to stand still. This creates an “island” within a stormy Fantasia that requires true Sturm und Drang temperament. Santi masters this music both intellectually and pianistically, allowing it to flow with natural spontaneity, achieving a balance where freedom in interpretation is not only theorized but lived.
With Schumann, we enter a different world. Here, fantasy lies in the juxtaposition of diverse moods, as seen in other Schumann masterpieces like Kreisleriana or Carnaval. This work also reflects Viennese life, where Schumann discovered many of Schubert’s compositions, influencing his own music. Santi vividly brings these contrasting moods to life, from the melancholic and lunar Romance, embodying Eusebius’s introspection, to the humorous, almost gossipy Scherzino. These contrasts converge in the Intermezzo, blending tenderness and passion with a balance of feminine sensitivity and masculine vigor.
Margherita Santi is an extraordinary pianist, combining virtuosity with a profound intellect. She emphasizes the critical connection between mind, heart, and hands, a balance often neglected by pianists disconnected from their intellectual and emotional core. Santi’s ability to begin with understanding and emotion, then translate them into sound, sets her apart.
Not only a remarkable performer, Santi is also an enterprising artist. She founded and directs the Herbst Musicaux Festival in Verona, an autumn music festival where she explores the psychological and sociological dimensions of music. Her performances reflect this intellectual depth, demonstrating that true mastery begins with the mind and resonates through the sound.
Radio Classica, ClassicoMania, by Luca Ciammarughi
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Heute beginnen wir mit diesem Album, das dem Genre der Fantasie gewidmet ist, im Titel in der Mehrzahl interpretiert. Es reicht von der Zeit des 18. Jahrhunderts mit dem sogenannten „Fantasieren“, das Improvisation, Rhapsodie und Wahrsagerei heraufbeschwört, bis hin zu präziseren Formen wie Chopins Fantasie Op. 49 oder Schumanns Karneval von Wien, dessen Untertitel von „Fantastischen Bildern“ spricht.
Margherita Santi, eine junge Pianistin, die sich bereits in ganz Europa und Russland etabliert hat, wo sie am Moskauer Konservatorium ausgebildet wurde. Diese Ausbildung spiegelt sich in ihrer Technik wider, die Elemente der italienischen und russischen Schule vereint: brillante Virtuosität, gepaart mit Tiefe, ohne percussive Klänge, und ein Einsatz des ganzen Körpers beim Spiel. Kein Wunder also, dass sie sich in romantischen Konzerten wie Schumanns Klavierkonzert, Rachmaninoffs Zweitem und Chopins Erstem Klavierkonzert hervorgetan hat. Für ihren Master-Abschluss präsentierte sie ein monografisches Rezital, das Schumanns drei Sonaten gewidmet war. Ein solches Repertoire verlangt nicht nur außergewöhnliche technische Fähigkeiten, sondern auch die Fähigkeit, die emotionale und intellektuelle Essenz der Musik tief zu verstehen und auszudrücken. Diese Fähigkeit, in den Kern der Musik einzutauchen und ihre Bedeutung in pianistische Ausdrucksformen zu übersetzen, gehört zu ihren größten Stärken. Anders als oft üblich, wo Effekte über die Emotion gestellt werden, folgt Santi dem richtigen Ansatz: von der Emotion zum Effekt.
Dieses Meisterwerk von Mozart, das nur sieben Minuten dauert, umfasst eine Vielzahl von Stimmungen und facettenreichen spirituellen Universen. Es beginnt mit der freien Bewegung von Arpeggien, die laut Santi in den Booklet-Notizen des Albums aus einer anderen Dimension zu kommen scheinen, jenseits von Zeit und Raum. Ihr Vortrag beginnt mit einer suchenden, rhapsodischen Fantasie, nachdenklichen Arpeggien, die wie auf der Suche nach einem Weg erscheinen. Dies mündet in ein Adagio, das Santi langsamer als gewöhnlich spielt, wobei sie eine unterschwellige Spannung und die Melodielinie beibehält. Der Übergang zum Allegretto ist bemerkenswert abrupt und verkörpert die schnellen Tonleitern, die typisch für die Improvisation des 18. Jahrhunderts sind. In diesem lebhaften Tempo fängt Santi eine Stimmung ein, die an eine Opera buffa erinnert, mit spielerischen und gelegentlich übertriebenen agogischen Nuancen. Ihre Interpretation ist niemals provokativ, sondern tief durchdacht und voller Gefühl.
In ihrer Interpretation der Mondscheinsonate von Beethoven, ein Titel, den der Komponist selbst nicht gewählt hat, inspiriert durch die nächtliche Atmosphäre des Adagios, beschwört Santi Bilder herauf, die an ein Gemälde von Caspar David Friedrich erinnern, mit allgegenwärtigen Pianissimo-Texturen.
Im Finale beeindruckt Santi mit ihrem natürlichen, unfehlbaren Virtuosismus. Jenseits der makellosen Ausführung jeder Note zeigt sie ein reifes Verständnis für die Phrasierung, erfasst die gesamte Beethoven’sche Form und verleiht zugleich jedem Abschnitt und jeder Stimmung einen eigenen Charakter. In intensiven Passagen verwendet sie beispielsweise ein scharfes Staccatissimo, das eine revolutionäre Schärfe vermittelt, während sie in lyrischen Themen eine sanfte, kantable Qualität zeigt. Diese Darbietung verkörpert ein tiefes emotionales Spektrum und eine Hingabe, die Beethovens Gedanken in den Vordergrund stellt, bevor sie sie in Klang übersetzt.
Wie die Polonaise-Fantasie reflektiert dieses Werk Chopins improvisatorischen Geist, verwurzelt in harmonischen Fortschreitungen und einer improvisatorischen Fantasie. Die formale Struktur verschmilzt mit dem romantischen Ideal des carpe diem und beschwört eine typische romantische Wanderlust. Santi findet hier eine perfekte Balance zwischen künstlerischem Ausdruck und Kontrolle über Klang und Form, was eine ästhetische Raffinesse vermittelt. Im zentralen Choral, den sie als fast ein Gebet beschreibt, schafft Santi eine Atmosphäre mystischer Konzentration. Wie im ersten Satz der Mondscheinsonate oder im Adagio in Mozarts Fantasie scheut sie sich nicht, das Tempo deutlich zu verlangsamen, wodurch die Zeit stehen bleibt. Dies schafft eine „Insel“ innerhalb einer stürmischen Fantasie, die ein echtes Sturm und Drang-Temperament erfordert. Santi meistert diese Musik sowohl intellektuell als auch pianistisch, wobei sie die natürliche Spontaneität des musikalischen Flusses bewahrt. Ihre Freiheit in der Interpretation wird nicht nur theoretisiert, sondern gelebt.
Mit Schumann betreten wir eine andere Welt. Hier liegt die Fantasie in der Gegenüberstellung verschiedener Stimmungen, wie auch in anderen Meisterwerken Schumanns, etwa der Kreisleriana oder dem Karneval. Dieses Werk spiegelt auch das Wiener Leben wider, wo Schumann viele Werke von Franz Schubert entdeckte, die seine Kompositionen beeinflussten. Santi bringt diese kontrastierenden Stimmungen lebhaft zur Geltung, von der melancholischen und mondartigen Romanze, die Eusebius’ introspektive Seite verkörpert, bis hin zum humorvollen, fast klatschhaften Scherzino. Diese Kontraste verschmelzen im Intermezzo, das Zärtlichkeit und Leidenschaft, Schwung und feminine Sensibilität vereint.
Margherita Santi ist eine außergewöhnliche Pianistin, die Virtuosität mit einem tiefen Intellekt verbindet. Sie betont die wichtige Verbindung zwischen Geist, Herz und Händen – ein Gleichgewicht, das oft vernachlässigt wird. Santi beginnt mit Verstand und Emotion und übersetzt sie in Klang, ein Ansatz, der sie von anderen unterscheidet.
Neben ihrer bemerkenswerten Karriere ist Santi auch eine engagierte Künstlerin und gründete das Herbst Musicaux Festival in Verona, dessen künstlerische Leitung sie innehat. Ihre intellektuelle Tiefe spiegelt sich in ihren Aufführungen wider und zeigt, dass wahre Meisterschaft im Geist beginnt und im Klang nachhallt.
Radio Classica, ClassicoMania, by Luca Ciammarughi
“Santi impresses with an interpretation that is as intelligent as it is deeply musical, enriched by many dynamic nuances, great playfulness and wonderfully fine coloration.
Fantasies is first-class piano playing and more than an hour of music that will never bore you.“
Pizzicato Magazine, November 2024
Read the full review here: https://www.pizzicato.lu/gestaltungsfreudige-pianistin/
Margherita Santi 