The score (1/4)February 11th, 2010

The score is often the first medium you have to deal with when studying a piece. It enables the composer to encode four key dimensions of music: pitch, duration, intensity and timbre. This document can then transmit the composer’s thought, or rather transcribe his music in a format understood by any interpreter. Read more …

Atonal MusicJanuary 28th, 2010

This week, let us focus on the break-up of tonality, initiated in the late nineteenth century and clearly confirmed during the early twentieth century. With several articles about atonal, dodecaphonic music and serial music I want to make a few preliminary remarks before discovering the universe of a key figure in the postwar music world: Pierre Boulez. Read more …

Introduction to InterpretationJanuary 21st, 2010

Interpreter: word which can, by extension, replace the word musician. Yet the two words have a totally different connotation: if the latter clearly evokes music and the inspired craftsman created in and by popular imagination, first emphasizes another facet of the same man: here is suggested the intellectual work, in other words the analysis and long road towards understanding a work. Read more …

What will 2010 be like?January 13th, 2010

I haven’t been writing much lately, and I’m sorry about that. First of all I wish you a wonderful 2010 with lots of musical achievements.

At the start of this year, I tried to think about the directions my writings could take for 2010. It is thus self-evident that this blog will still be about piano and music, but I would like to give a new impetus and provide more didactic content. Let’s see what will 2010 be like. Read more …

The pianist’s bodyDecember 10th, 2009

The link between body and music is complex and inseparable. The perception and interpretation of musical works are carried out by the body. Any pianist can tell you: playing the piano involves the entire body and we often push it to the limits. We overuse our body, but what do we give in return?

For a long time my physiotherapist has pressed me to do something to maintain my body healthy, arguing that my recurring back problems are effects of a lack of physical activity. Up until now, I had always answered I was too busy for this. But if I want to continue to have all my “features”, I have to seriously consider having a regular physical activity routine. Read more …

French classical pianist Genevieve Joy has diedDecember 2nd, 2009

Genevieve Joy died Friday night in her sleep at the age of 90 years old. Key figure in contemporary music, she played an important role in the spread of contemporary piano repertoire, creating works of her husband, Henri Dutilleux to whom my thoughts are, but also other leading composers like Pierre Boulez and Andre Jolivet. She has highlighted in her work the composers much more than herself. Read more …

Arturo Benedetti MichelangeliNovember 19th, 2009

A long time ago, I wrote a few lines about Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli and my fascination for this pianist. Today I propose a short video to better understand one of the things I find very interesting in his piano playing. When speaking about pianists, we must naturally consider the direct musical result but I think the visual aspects of their playing should not be forgotten. With Michelangeli, this component is exceptional. Read more …

The pianist’s lonelinessNovember 11th, 2009

Loneliness is an issue that quite often comes up in discussion with people who know and follow me. I work alone, I play alone, I like being alone most of the time, but isn’t the feeling of loneliness heavy and suffocating? It is true that I don’t meet my friends very often, I am not a big fan of mass meetings and that I avoid crowded places. But in another hand, I like chatting over the phone and mailing them. Read more …

One year to changeOctober 30th, 2009

I know I have not written a post for a while… The recent weeks have been difficult and I had neither the desire nor time to write something. Today I’m going back to my blog after a bad flu which has left me weak and tired. As usual, I didn’t want to go and see a doctor, and that did not help. But here I am, at least partly. Partly, because I’m not playing the piano seriously these days.
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