Ferruccio Busoni was a fine composer who is little honored today, even though his opera Doktor Faust and his Brobdingnagian Piano Concerto deserve many more hearings. As the young Russian pianist Polina Leschenko demonstrated Sunday at the Walter Reade Theater, his true genius was as a transcriber.

Ms. Leschenko is a handpicked protégée of the elusive Argentine concert pianist Martha Argerich; Ms. Leschenko not only appeared at the festival Progetto Martha Argerich in Lugano, Switzerland, but also recently released her first CD under the rubric Martha Argerich Presents. But she was certainly her own woman at this exceptionally well-played recital.

Ms. Leschenko chose the Bach-Busoni Chaconne in D Minor, the same lengthy essay for solo violin that Brahms transcribed for left hand alone. Busoni’s approach is very different in that he uses the entire keyboard and stresses chordal effects that Brahms submerges. From the beginning, Ms. Leschenko proved herself to be a remarkably precise pianist, one with a highly developed sense of accuracy. This performance was just about note-perfect.

Much more important, however, was Ms. Leschenko’s sense of pacing and contrast. She intoned the Bachian passages with mature, eloquent gravitas and expanded into the ambuscades of notes that Busoni employs for intense effect with supreme confidence. The manner in which she built this great edifice revealed a maturity beyond her years. Rather than present only a series of attention-grabbing climaxes, she labored hard to forge a complex and imposing whole. This was quite simply a terrific effort.

After complaining about the piano and shrugging her shoulders since she was powerless to adjust it, she proceeded into a piece of fluff that I can only assume is a popular one, since it is programmed all of the time. The Andante spianato et Grande polonaise brillante of Frederic Chopin has little musical value, but did give this talented newcomer a chance to show off her delicate touch and softer side.

The most polarizing figure in music history has to be Franz Liszt. Father-in-law of Richard Wagner, he was a key figure in the Brahms-Wagner feud. Further, he was a libertine for most of his life, but an abbot in later years. His invention of himself as the first rock star was constantly discussed in intellectual circles. Was he a member of the club or a brash interloper? The greatest pianist of the 19th century or just a savvy circus performer?

Liszt’s music reflects his dual personality. The Sonata in B Minor is his Everest and Ms. Leschenko climbed it very successfully this day. The initial notes were not only quite soft but also extremely short in duration — an ear-catching way to draw the audience into the innate drama of the piece. Ms. Leschenko’s big statements were effective and often quite loud, but never percussive. Her dynamic contrasts were spectacular. It would be an exaggeration to say that she was flawless in the Liszt — no one ever hits all of these notes in live performance — but she came pretty close.

Able to showcase both sides of the composer equally well, Ms. Leschenko wove a gossamer cape to cover the softer passages and slipped seemingly effortlessly into religious mode during the chordal section toward the work’s conclusion. The ending notes again were tiny, both in volume and in length. She had come full circle, and her listeners had learned a lot along the way.

Ms. Leschenko is in her late 20s, so it is the time in her career when the chattering classes would typically discuss her potential. Forget aboutit. Polina Leschenkois ready for prime time.

Martha Argerich University apparently teaches all aspects of being like the grande dame, and Ms. Leschenko certainly has the hair toss down pat. If she is determined to hitch her wagon to a star, then she has made a superb choice.