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Garrick Ohlsson, one of the world’s most honored pianists, is in his element when performing Beethoven’s Concerto No. 5 known as the “Emperor.” He loves the blue skies and the optimisti feeling that all is going to turn out well Beethoven projects as he pushes the boundaries outward to give the sentiment of spaces with great vistas. He regards it as a grand piece containing the little dramas found in all concertos when the person voice enters. The “Emperor” opens with three chords by the orchestra before the piano comes in and plays the main theme. Beethoven is the introductory composer to announce the piano in this way. When the explosive power and range of the piano gets warlike, there is a brief tug of war amongst the piano and strings before the setting evaporates into a quiet, pastoral place. “The sheer beauty and romanticism of the slow motion is dreamy with a spiritual and warm welcome,” Ohlsson said. “When the piano enters with the theme from the last movement, there is a joyous outburst and a vast moment of assertion.” Ohlsson’s repertoire is wondrous wide and eclectic, but he initially was thrust into the limelight by Chopin. Upon winning the 1970 International Piano Competition, he became regarded as an expert on the composer. Although he has recorded numerous albums and CDs of Chopin works, he has likewise committed substantial time to Beethoven, performing the finish cycle of the composer’s piano sonatas at numerous venues and winning a Grammy Award for Best Instrumental Soloist Performance of Volume 3. His prolific discography includes works by Bartok, Barber, Brahms, Busoni Prokofiev, Gershwin, Scriabin and other composers too some to mention. Most music students get to know Chopin early, but Ohlsson did not like him as a teenager and preferent Liszt. It was only when he got to know Chopin’s music more intimately that he cherished his wide range and decisive to enter a major competition, always the original step in a solo career. Ohlsson equated the nature of an artisan to that of an actor in that a heap of may do small, exquisite roles while others may carry out a wide range. By immersing oneself in a single composer for a given period, a musician learns his language system, his frames of reference and his systems for outbursts of lyricism. Ohlsson likens the procedure to moving chess pieces or armies. He is not only a superb artist, but likewise a witty speaker with the gift of getting inside a composer. His intensive exploration of favored composers has unearthed intriguing info that allows them to be better understood. When he speaks before an audience, he likes to present info with regards to a composer that may interest a layman and ofttimes take him by surprise. But when he performs a work such as Beethoven’s Emperor concerto, he wants every one to forget what they recognise regarding the piece and to be as open as possible. There is no right way to listen a work, he cautions. Just listen. Just appreciate. Most helpful customer reviews 77 of 77 people found the following review helpful. Mr. Sandor was a student of Bartok and is an award-winning concert pianist. I’m a physician with an engineering background, and I can tell you that Mr. Sandor also has an exceptional understanding of the piano mechanism and of the dynamics of the human body, *and* is a very clear writer. He explains not only the proper physical technique to get the sounds you want, but also explains from a musical standpoint what sound you should be striving for and why, as well as including many useful tidbits along the way, such as the proper timing of grace notes.
Mr. Sandor explains why many of the popular (and painful!) techniques and exercises are not only unnecessary, but harmful both physically and musically. Mr. Sandor himself is the best testimony to the validity of his methods. I had the privilege of hearing him play at age 89, and of hearing his remarkable sound unfettered by a long lifetime of wear and tear on his joints and muscles.
This book would be of most benefit to a budding professional classical pianist, serious young student, or professional piano pedagogue, but is also very helpful to a not-very-good amateur such as myself.
All in all, a very solid, sensible work. 51 of 53 people found the following review helpful. 26 of 26 people found the following review helpful. The book is in three parts. The first discusses the facts of the piano mechanism and what can and can’t be done at the piano. Mr. Sandor also discusses the physiology of the parts of the human body that go into piano playing from the fingers through the back (and the feet for the pedals). What I like about his descriptions is his emphasis on coordinating the various elements without strain, pressure, or awkwardness.
The second part introduces Mr. Sandor’s own notation for marking up scores in relation to technique (which I found surprisingly helpful in understanding his concepts). He also introduces the various means of playing. Some people like what he says here, some reject this or that. What I like most is his way of helping the pianist gain the maximum ability to play the piano by getting out of his own way. Mr. Sandor simplifies things so you don’t waste time trying to do things from awkward positions or through impossibly contradictory methods. You will find this skill common to all great instructors trying to teach students. So much can be gained by just being coordinated and efficient. But what seems simple after the instruction was hopelessly obscure before the master showed you the simple way.
The third part of the book is about taking these techniques and applying them in making music. The author addresses how to recognize when to use the various patterns – how to combine them. He discusses pedals, practicing, memorization, and performance tips. He is always so supportive of the student. For example, in memorization, he discusses that this is a legacy of Liszt and that many wonderful pianists use the open score in performance and it is quite often used in making recordings. He also says that simply because you might have a memory slip does not indicate that you don’t know the piece. It is a human frailty to get distracted and that you should simply get back to it and work a little more without becoming discouraged.
Really, I enjoyed this book quite a bit and found some things that are helping me and I think you will be able to find things that will help you. |
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