Glenn Gould and Leonard Bernstein - since that is probably one of the most well known stories in classical music history, there is no point in going on and on about it on this website. However, speaking of Leonard Bernstein, you'll see below, a fantastic performance of the Ravel G major piano concerto below! Yes, I am playing this in its entirety on Offbeat, this Thursday. Yes, the second movement is heavenly. No, I won't be talking in between movements. No, there won't be a commercial break in between movements. Yes, the pianist in question is fantastic. No, it is not me (though I love playing the piece - this is my favourite non-Bach concerto!). No, its not the fantastic Leonard Bernstein (though you can view his performance below). Yes, the pianist is French. Oh, and did I mention the incredible second movement? Bravo Monsieur Ravel!Tune in on Thursday! 2 p.m. on 103.2 Dublin city fm.In the meantime, here is the incomparable Bernstein, who conducts and performs Ravel's Concerto in G - no music needed (its one thing playing the piece from memory but to conduct it from the piano, incredible!) Here is the second movement (because, while the first and third are excellent in their own righ (nt to mention fiendishly tricky) nothing compares to this. One long, long, long flowing phrase of perfection.
Speaking of Ravel, and Gould...here is his transcription of La Valse. No words, really! For someone who dismissed most French music as "junk" (I paraphrase, of course), this is one hell of a performance. Despite the fact that Gould hated "pianist’s music” as he called the virtuoso piano music of Liszt and his contemporaries (he hated the primeval human need for showing off – one of the traits he felt was intrinsic in the 19th Century repertoire) this is still an extraordinary performance. Fingers to die for.
Here is the great man himself, Maurice Ravel! With his feline friend!
Its 5.30 a.m. and I'm very excited. I will be talking to the legendary pianist Leon Fleisher in a couple of weeks, for a special on Offbeat. As some may already know, Fleisher was one of the few pianists who was a contemporary of Glenn Gould, and one that Gould really admired. Fleisher is, of course, one of the last legendary living pianists left, he was a pupil of Artur Schnabel before losing the use of his right hand due to focal dystonia at the height of his career. When this happened, Glenn Gould wrote to him recommending particular medication and suggesting specialists (Gould, of course was no stranger to medication, aches and pains and doctors!). Fleisher continued performing the left-handed repertoire until he quite recently regained the use of his right hand through a combination of massage and botox injections. My own memory of Fleisher is that I was utterly humbled, completely awestruck when i was at a masterclass he taught at many, many years ago.Life has a strange way of working out - just a couple of days ago I wrote a blog mentioning that I'll be interviewing the pianist Louis Lortie, who is one of Fleisher's most renowned students. Then a day ago, I said I'll be playing the Ravel G major concerto on the program this week - the pianist I've chosen for the recording is also another of Fleisher's students - Helene Grimaud. MANY thanks to Frank Salomon and Widya Widjaja for co-ordinating this and being so kind and gracious.
Meanwhile, here is some more Ravel, this time its the cadenza from the phenomenal concerto for Left Hand, with the brilliant Fleisher!
Taken from the press release for Musicians of the Future 2009 that will take place at the National Concert Hall on 23rd March. All the performers are extremely talented as musicians, but more importantly, they have the right personalities, and are all playing/singing repertoire that suits their skills and abilities.BOOK TICKETS http://www.nch.ie/Box-Office/Performances/Karishmeh-Felfeli-presents-Musicians-of-the-Future.aspxProceeds (after costs) go to Cats Aid & Little Blind People - all VERY worthy charities and causes. In the screwed up world we live in, its about time musicians put their talents to good use. Obviously the concert will benefit their careers, but its also about benefiting society and the world at large, and those that need it most. "Performing in this year’s platform concert are ten of the country’s most talented musicians. Teenage cellist Cormac O’Briain, sixteen year old vocalist Shereen Perera, and young violin virtuoso Shannon Biondi will join Finnish violinist Elina Hakanen, flautist Kevin Carberry and sopranos Helene Hutchinson and Julienne Paye in concert. Nineteen year old percussionist Danny Roe from Dublin will also be performing on Marimba. Two musicians, pianist Thomas Bourke from Limerick, and guitarist John Walsh from Longford (pictured above) were selected amongst the many applicants from non-conservatoire trained musicians, and they complete the line up for the evening. "Many thanks to Ruth Finlay (Audition Coordinator and 2008 Musicians of the Future performer) for all her help with dealing with participants and applicants and making sure the auditions ran smoothly!Photos of performers to follow - bookmark http://www.glenngould.co.uk/
