10th Verbier Festival 2003
Verbier, Switzerland
Verbier is an idyllic alpine village in Switzerland that plays host every year to a series of performances featuring an elite group of musicians. 2003 marked its tenth year and in invited no less than 23 prominent musicians from around the world, counting among them the legendary Martha Argerich.
It was a joy to watch Argerich play again, now in her golden years. She teamed up with the youthful Evgeny Kissin to perform Mozart’s C Major Sonata for 2 pianos, K.521. Argerich has been busy with ensemble performances of late, she is not obsessed with solo repertory. I still have her CD recording of Ravel’s dazzling La Valse, Strauss’ Domestic Symphony, as well as Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, all for four hands. I fortunately have a solo CD recording of her Liszt and Schumann Sonatas, the former exhibited without doubt, her technical mastery of the instrument, she seems unfazed by any technical demands made by any composer.
The Mozart was a delight to hear: the ringing, lilting melodies, the graceful ornamentation that served as variations to a childish theme. The Russian Kissin held his own against the legend, after all, he is an accomplished pianist himself. It was like seeing a grandmother and her grandson making beautiful music together on the grand.
Smetana’s one movement work for 2 piano/8 hands was an exercise in musical color and texture. Performed by Kissin, Met Musical Director James Levine (I didn’t know that he’s a pianist of note), Emmanuel Ax and Leif Ove Andsnes. Levine and Ax were like Santa Clauses, chubby, with big and curly hair, while Leif looked like a porn star. I digress. Beautiful. Full of fire and rhythmic color.
Heidrich’s Happy Birthday variations featured prominent string soloists, among them Sara Chang (violin) and Mischa Maisky (cello). Using the familiar refrain, various moods were evoked employing different styles: from the celebratory, to the mysterious, dangerous and the melancholy. If you ever wondered how classical musicians hang out and jam together, this is exactly what it looks like.
Argerich teamed up again with three other pianists (4 grand pianos in all) to perform J.S Bach’s Concerto for 4 pianos BWV 1065. Bach’s music is sublime, and it shows clearly in the performance. The string soloist earlier provided the tutti, or orchestral backdrop and support to the four. Wonderful.
And then there were eight. Yes eight pianists, including Lang Lang (who made sure the audience didn’t miss the fact that he’s Chinese, he wore a Cheong Sam, I think that’s what you call it), Mikhail Pletnev (who’s a lot older now, he’s a fantastic Chopin and Scriabin interpreter) and others. The performed Rossini’s Semiramide Overture, originally for an orchestra in an opera house. For an orchestral work, 8 pianos are quite good enough to recreate the orchestral sonorities. I like this one best, especially towards the end when the work hurtles to the all-too-familiar Rossini specialty, the crescendo.
The pianists fared badly in Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries. This Wagner work is powerful when performed by an orchestra. It is full of color and rhythmic vitality. An attempt to recreate its sound through the piano alone can be risky. In this case, the pianists only managed to convey a sense of chaos, and what we hear is basically noise.
The other numbers were too cute and corny, like the Jamaican Rumba, Stars and Stripes and L’Union, a paraphrase of the famous national tunes like the Star Spangled Banner. Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee arranged for 8 pianos was a fitting encore, however.
It was an altogether satisfying concert, although I would have preferred a heavier repertoire which would include Rachmaninoff and Ravel.
Verbier, Switzerland
Verbier is an idyllic alpine village in Switzerland that plays host every year to a series of performances featuring an elite group of musicians. 2003 marked its tenth year and in invited no less than 23 prominent musicians from around the world, counting among them the legendary Martha Argerich.
It was a joy to watch Argerich play again, now in her golden years. She teamed up with the youthful Evgeny Kissin to perform Mozart’s C Major Sonata for 2 pianos, K.521. Argerich has been busy with ensemble performances of late, she is not obsessed with solo repertory. I still have her CD recording of Ravel’s dazzling La Valse, Strauss’ Domestic Symphony, as well as Paul Dukas’ The Sorcerer’s Apprentice, all for four hands. I fortunately have a solo CD recording of her Liszt and Schumann Sonatas, the former exhibited without doubt, her technical mastery of the instrument, she seems unfazed by any technical demands made by any composer.
The Mozart was a delight to hear: the ringing, lilting melodies, the graceful ornamentation that served as variations to a childish theme. The Russian Kissin held his own against the legend, after all, he is an accomplished pianist himself. It was like seeing a grandmother and her grandson making beautiful music together on the grand.
Smetana’s one movement work for 2 piano/8 hands was an exercise in musical color and texture. Performed by Kissin, Met Musical Director James Levine (I didn’t know that he’s a pianist of note), Emmanuel Ax and Leif Ove Andsnes. Levine and Ax were like Santa Clauses, chubby, with big and curly hair, while Leif looked like a porn star. I digress. Beautiful. Full of fire and rhythmic color.
Heidrich’s Happy Birthday variations featured prominent string soloists, among them Sara Chang (violin) and Mischa Maisky (cello). Using the familiar refrain, various moods were evoked employing different styles: from the celebratory, to the mysterious, dangerous and the melancholy. If you ever wondered how classical musicians hang out and jam together, this is exactly what it looks like.
Argerich teamed up again with three other pianists (4 grand pianos in all) to perform J.S Bach’s Concerto for 4 pianos BWV 1065. Bach’s music is sublime, and it shows clearly in the performance. The string soloist earlier provided the tutti, or orchestral backdrop and support to the four. Wonderful.
And then there were eight. Yes eight pianists, including Lang Lang (who made sure the audience didn’t miss the fact that he’s Chinese, he wore a Cheong Sam, I think that’s what you call it), Mikhail Pletnev (who’s a lot older now, he’s a fantastic Chopin and Scriabin interpreter) and others. The performed Rossini’s Semiramide Overture, originally for an orchestra in an opera house. For an orchestral work, 8 pianos are quite good enough to recreate the orchestral sonorities. I like this one best, especially towards the end when the work hurtles to the all-too-familiar Rossini specialty, the crescendo.
The pianists fared badly in Wagner’s Ride of the Valkyries. This Wagner work is powerful when performed by an orchestra. It is full of color and rhythmic vitality. An attempt to recreate its sound through the piano alone can be risky. In this case, the pianists only managed to convey a sense of chaos, and what we hear is basically noise.
The other numbers were too cute and corny, like the Jamaican Rumba, Stars and Stripes and L’Union, a paraphrase of the famous national tunes like the Star Spangled Banner. Korsakov’s Flight of the Bumblebee arranged for 8 pianos was a fitting encore, however.
It was an altogether satisfying concert, although I would have preferred a heavier repertoire which would include Rachmaninoff and Ravel.
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