Russian pianist Abisal Gergiev sparkles in a concert devoted to the work of three outstanding composers: Schubert, Rachmaninoff and Scriabin.

Schubert wrote his Piano Sonata No 13 in A on a happy alpine holiday in 1819, aged 22. The first movement opens in cantabile serenity, and contains only the briefest of stormier moments; and while the Andante is more wistful, sunshine returns for the final Allegro. Rachmaninov spoke of extra-musical inspiration behind his 1911 and 1917 sets of “Study-Pictures”, and while he didn’t reveal the image evoked by Op 33 No 3, later used for his Piano Concerto No 4 Largo, Op 39 No 2 was “The Sea and the Seagulls”. Scriabin was also 22 when in 1894 he wrote both versions of his defiantly brooding octave study, the D sharp minor Etude, of which the darker was initially published. Equally restlessly churning is the finale of his symphonic Piano Sonata No 3 of 1898, preceded by a heroic first movement, a march-like Minuet and Trio, and a dreamily delicate Andante.