Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont, pianist » Documents

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli

Pierre-Arnaud — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 11:00:36 +0000

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.

Before watching this video of Brahms’ first ballade opus 10, I’ll give you my point of view. I particularly like his sobriety. Music before anything else: no “inspired contortions,” and hand movements look so natural that one would think seeing a long caress of the keys, an endless ballet of fingers. Any pianist seeks a purity of gesture, and Michelangeli is for me a perfect example of this purity. His calm, elegance at the piano, this quiet strength emitting an incredible aura prouve, if needed, that Michelangeli is a tremendous pianist. Even if I know he has been thinking about it a lot and even if it was partly an acting performance, I love it!

I let you observe this in this video filmed live in 1981 in Lugano.

Musical analysis: a musical strategy

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 01 May 2009 06:00:40 +0000

After a long debate with a student about musical analysis, I needed to write a few lines on the topic. Why is musical analysis so helpful for musicians? Why do we often deny its necessity? Musical analysis: a musical strategy, I said, because it allows me to draw up a plan for each piece, each concert.

Going on stage without a strategy is really dangerous. As well as a good technician, a pianist has to be a good strategist. Giving the final blow, taking the audience from the rear, we have to think about it, and analysis helps us to carry out this important work. Where is the climax, how this piece can be divided, we do not leave this to chance, our sound strategy depends on it. We have to do this using various scale levels: a movement, a work, a program and even sometimes a whole season or career. In piano playing, there is in fact a very little space for inspiration, I know this can be a deception for some of you, but understand that this little space plays a really important role at another level.

One very often hears of lack in cohesion. Musical analysis allows us to find out how a composer builds his work, and to understand the logic integrating the different movements in a whole called his work, to finally convey this logical system to the listener.

A composer thinks in terms of structures and musical forms (among others) to give a spine to his work. The interpreter has to understand it in order to build a coherent musical composition, and has to convey to the audience the cleverness of the structure.

And you, how does analysis help you?

Chopin and Sultanov

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 06:00:14 +0000

On my blog today a video which brought me so much joy when I found it: this video of Alexei Sultanov performing Chopin’s Grande Valse Brillante at the Chopin Competition in Warsaw in 1995 is a real treat for the eyes and ears. A kind thought to a great pianist who left us too soon, nearly four years ago.

You can find much more live recordings at http://www.recitals.alexeisultanov.ru

Ligeti – poème symphonique for 100 metronomes

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 06:00:31 +0000

Today, I propose you to watch and listen to Ligeti’s poème symphonique for 100 metronomes. Enjoy!

Many thanks to Ionarts for the transcription into English:

Poème symphonique was composed by György Ligeti in 1962. We are presenting this work this evening. The concert, which we went to record in Rome, was presented by an orchestra of 100 performers. This rebroadcast is a television premiere. At the end of the concert, we will offer a brief explanation, but first listen and watch. The concert begins in one minute.

[the piece is performed]

Since its world premiere in the Netherlands in 1963, Poème symphonique for 100 metronomes has been very rarely performed in public. The complicated scenographic staging, the detailed preparation by hand, the need for around ten technicians to activate more or less simultaneously the 100 metronomes, makes the demand for performances limited. Thirty-two years after the premiere, the sculptor and installation artist Gilles Lacombe heard a recording of the work. Impressed, he decided to invent a machine able to perform the piece automatically. After six months, he set up this ingenious device. Ever since, Poème symphonique can be performed accurately, at any time, and in public. Please understand that at its world premiere in 1963, the concert was filmed by Dutch television. On that night, after the final tick-tock of the metronome, there was a heavy silence, followed by booing, screaming, and threats. The concert was never broadcast.

George Gershwin – Concerto in F

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 06:00:48 +0000

Not much performed in Europe, this work would deserve much wider attention. George Gershwin’s Concerto in F is a work from the classical repertoire I still find neglected. Composed in 1925, this concerto will later influence Maurice Ravel to write his Concerto in G. Ravel advised Gershwin not to underestimate the importance of jazz, and it is exactly what he did in this totally jazzy concerto.

It is for this reason that I chose the version with Marcus Roberts at the piano, accompanied by his Trio, under the baton of the brilliant Seiji Osawa, interpreting in great shape the third movement of this concerto a la Marcus Roberts, perfectly capturing the spirit of Gershwin.

Sur Incises

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 20 Mar 2009 07:00:43 +0000

I have often talked here about the illustrious French composer Pierre Boulez, but without really going into details. So, today I’m sharing with you my favorite work by Boulez: Sur Incises for 3 pianos, 3 harps, 3 percussionists. The more I listen to it, the more I’m questioning myself, and the more I love it.

Significant figure of contemporary musical life, Boulez fascinates me. Although criticized by many, he nevertheless remains a key figure of the last 60 years. Whether people like him or not, no one can deny that he greatly contributed to the advancement of musical thought.

And now let’s listen to an excerpt of Sur Incises performed by the Ensemble Intercontemporain conducted by Pierre Boulez himself.

How I discovered Albéniz

Pierre-Arnaud — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 15:08:00 +0000

… And along with him, a good part of Spanish classical music. This brings me back to a time long ago, some 17 years. At this time, I used to listen to radio a lot and at the same time, I was discovering Ravel’s works for piano. Until one day I chanced upon a public radio broadcast of a concert, which took place some months before at the La Roque d’Anthéron Festival. There, Spanish pianist Rafael Orozco was performing Albéniz’s complete Iberia.

Thanks to him, I fell in love with this music, so lilting, so colorful, by its wild and subtle rhythms. A pianist of great class was needed for such a work. Orozco wonderfully filled this role. From then on, I listened to many other versions by other pianists, but I have never experienced the same sensation again.

I would have loved to see him play, but Rafael Orozco left us too soon, in April 1996 at only 50 years old. Today, the little tape cassette on which I had recorded this concert is not readable anymore. Only the imperishable memory of a wonderful concert remains. However I would love to listen to this concert again and I’m hoping there might be somewhere (perhaps at France Musique, which broadcasted it) where to find this concert tape. Or maybe did someone record it?

The concert took place on Tuesday, August 4th, 1992 at 9:30 p.m, Parc du Château de Florans, during the La Roque d’Anthéron Festival: if someone knows where I could get this unpublished recording, please leave me a message.

One of my favorite concertos by one of my favorite interpreters

Pierre-Arnaud — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 18:55:54 +0000

Samson François is one of the pianists from the past I especially like. He remains a constant in my musical landscape. He fascinates me, very classy, even if sometimes it is too much… Finally, a quote from Marguerite Long about Samson François: “When he plays well, no one plays better than him!”

While you are here, enjoy one of my favorite concertos by one of my favorite interpreters (at least in Ravel!)

The art of piano playing

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 20 Feb 2009 07:00:12 +0000

I would like to tell you about a book I own, like any other pianist I suppose: “The art of piano playing” by Heinrich Neuhaus, very enriching bible on diverse aspects of our favorite instrument. Like many others, I read it and re-read it, and according to the age I was, I understood it differently. “Do not find yourself in the music, but find the music in yourself” he used to say. Something we all should ponder on…

Heinrich Neuhaus (Russian of German origin) was a famous pianist and pedagogue. He studied in Vienna under Leopold Godowsky, then he went back to Russia in 1913 where he taught in many conservatories before running his own class in Moscow from 1923 until his death in 1964. There studied the most brilliant pianists of the XXth century, among them were Gilels, Richter, Virsaladze, Zak, Lupu, Krainev, Naumov… Piano genius, he devoted his life to teaching.

His book, “The art of piano playing”, is a series of comments based on his experience, a bit like his diary as a professor. With precise examples as well as general principles or anecdotes about his pupils, Neuhaus unveils what is according to him the art of piano playing.

Even if we do not immediately understand everything, reading this work is an advantage on the long way to master the piano. I like to re-read it every two or three years, it brings my mind back to reality. I recommend you to read it and wish you to get the best of it!

For those who already read it, how has this book helped you?

Happy birthday to Henri Dutilleux

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 07:00:58 +0000

Born on January 22, Henri Dutilleux celebrated his 93 years birthday yesterday. Henri Dutilleux’s work has a particular resonance for me, I just couldn’t pass by the Maestro’s birthday. I was introduced to his music very early on and I immediately liked it very much: Métaboles, Timbre, espace et mouvements, L’arbre des songes, Shadows of time – poetic titles for an incredibly rich universe in imagination and invention.

In order to celebrate his birthday, I offer you the fifth movement of Tout un monde lointain, his cello concerto with Maestro Rostropovich, which has become a classic of the XXth century. This concerto is amazing and makes me very jealous of cellists. I would dream of a concerto for piano…