Such energy! Such Passion! American Mark Nadler’s performance is utterly captivating. It is also highly idiosyncratic. Yes, he expertly provides piano snippets of Russian composers famous and not so famous. He does this with wit and panache.  There is more to his act than simply cataloguing composers. He links Russian melodies with the American Broadway show tradition especially in the music of Gershwin. He has a strong and dramatic singing voice. He is also something of a showman, with a bit of soft shoe shuffle whilst seated at the piano, and timing the precise moment to play Scriabin’s mystic chord. There are moments of pathos when he refers to the harm that Stalin wreaked on a whole generation of composers because music had to fit ideological requirements. This is no serious, academic exposition but a joyous celebration of music from a complete entertainer.  ****