Pierre-Arnaud Dablemont, pianist » video

Aimez-vous Brahms?

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 15 May 2009 06:00:41 +0000

I heard them play for the first time when I was fifteen: It has been a revelation. Of course, it was a recording. I would have loved to hear them live, but Oistrakh left us in 1974, a long time before I was born! Before this famous sonata for violin and piano, I did not like Brahms.

After the first listening, I felt an irresistible attraction to Brahms’ chamber music, which led me to the piano works of the famous bearded. I have never played much Brahms but I like to listen to his music. Aimez-vous Brahms? Yes, and I also hated him before I listened to Richter and Oistrakh.

I hope, if you do not know this version and you do not like Brahms, that Oistrakh and Richter will change your mind!

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.

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.

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!)

A Piano Tale

Pierre-Arnaud — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 07:00:54 +0000

Today, I invite you to (re)discover a short film directed by the Danish filmmaker Benjamin Holmsteen, “A Piano Tale”. Two pianists (a classical one and a jazz one) confront each other. First presented at the Venice International Film Festival in 2002, I found myself particularly touched by this film. Two fundamentally different beings, initially confronting each other, can give rise to harmony and beautiful while allowing each to express their own character. Metaphor or perfect couple? Nothing new you would say… Yes, but so well done!

Borge, Hambro and the Liszt Rhapsodies

Pierre-Arnaud — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 07:00:29 +0000

Let’s take a breather today. The following video shows a sketch where the American-Danish musician and humorist Victor Borge with his stooge Leonid Hambro go into a four hands performance of Liszt’s second Hungarian Rhapsody.

The Clown Prince of Denmark as he was nicknamed in his adoptive country (the USA), was a very famous entertainer and pianist who amused the American continent. He made a film with Franck Sinatra (in higher and higher) among others, and hosted on NBC from 1946 The Victor Borge Show where he developed many of his concepts, like the Phonetic Punctuation in which he recites a text with its full punctuation, or the Inflationary Language, which consists in incrementing the numbers embedded in words.

Now, I let you enjoy this video, together with Victor Borge, Leonid Hambro and Liszt!

Jacques Loussier Trio for pleasure’s sake

Pierre-Arnaud — Tue, 30 Sep 2008 07:00:03 +0000

For pleasure’s sake, and having dealt with jazz in my last post, I’ve been thinking about sharing with you this video of the Jacques Loussier Trio, revisiting the final movement of Bach’s Fifth Brandenbourg Concerto.