What upcoming events, if any, are you going to?

banquo

I've got my tickets for Brendel and for the Gould lecture. Should be fun. There's a few other gems coming up too, including Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique amongst others.

And you?

The Mad Hatter

Same as you, Brendel and Felfeli/Gould.

After that, I'll have a couple of weeks of time to go, but no money, and then months and months of enough money to go, but no time.

Sandwich

Lucia and Pealr Fishers in Gaiety and orlando in Helix. Wouldnt mind hearing Vienna Phil in the NCH but tickets a bit pricey IMO.

Civilian_Target

Tomorrow's proms. Walton 1 and Grieg Piano Concerto.

aidan_walsh

The Cologne New Philharmonic are playing a selection of Bach, Vivaldi and Beethoven pieces in the CoI in Killarney on Friday night, thinking of going along.

banquo

aidan_walsh wrote:

The Cologne New Philharmonic are playing a selection of Bach, Vivaldi and Beethoven pieces in the CoI in Killarney on Friday night, thinking of going along.

Sounds... diverse! Pity I'm in Dublin.

My wish list for the coming season is:

Stravinsky Petrouchka, 21st September
Beethoven Concerto No. 3 iand 5, 2nd October
Rachmaninov Piano Concerto No. 3 in D minor, 12th October
Nutcracker, 27th october
Beethoven Moonlight Sonata [just to see someone play the Presto Agitato live], 2nd November
Beethoven Symphony No. 6 and 7, 5th November
Beethoven's 5th, 9th November
Mozart Piano Concerto No. 20 in D minor, K. 466, 18th Jan
ANDRÁS SCHIFF, 10th february

All donations welcome

Doshea3

Banquo:—Beethoven Moonlight Sonata [just to see someone play the Presto Agitato live], 2nd November. Where's that on? That reminds me also that I had almost finished learning that sonata but got distracted. I must leave it out again. The third movement is fun.

I've booked Brendel, David Agnew/Eric Sweeney (next Friday), the Gould lecture-recital and some of the celebrity concerts which are a few months away yet, Sarah Chang and Lang Lang. I have a few more of those I want to book also. I intend to book the first few weeks of the NSO series too.

Per Liefsonson

Vienna Philharmonic performing Schubert's 5th and Bruckner's 4th, conducted by Barenboim. Can't wait.

Doshea3

Actually, I have to say I'd love to see the Vienna Phil, but I'm afraid the ticket prices are a little bit forbidding for me.

cailinoBAC

Pearl Fishers hopefully. Didn't hear about the Vienna Philharmonic, but wow! Those tickets are expensive. Probably cheaper to go to Vienna!

banquo

I saw Vienna Phil in Vienna in January doing Don GIovanni. Stunning.

banquo

All are on in the NCH, Dublin. Just got back from Brendel. Points scored for those menacing looks at the audience and a class finish to the Beethoven. Also putting up with the many, many people snoring, including the guy beside me, though he was not one of the worst offenders.

I will never be able to play like that.

Pianist2891

Why do you think there were people in the audience snoring?!! The NCH seats aren't THAT comfortable (personally I would find it impossible to doze off there).

Glad you enjoyed the concert anyway! The consolation is that Brendel is getting on in years, so maybe if we all do a hell of a lot of practice for the next...er...30-40-50 years we'll get there too!

The Mad Hatter

Snoring?! Who? Though I noticed Brendel started singing along during the second movement of the Mozart. Alas, though, I was on the choir balcony, and the sound was awful - like listening through a wall. Still enjoyed the concert, though.

And I get to see Schiff! Because he's playing on a Sunday!

The second tickets go on sale, I'm getting mine.

Pianist2891

I better save such opinions until AFTER my own little lecture-recital..

I tried for a very long time to get to like Schiff...alas, I'm not convinced. Brendel I can understand, Schiff, no!

banquo

You seriously didn't notice the snorers!? I'd honestly never seen anything like it. I guess high profile events like these attract your typical yacht club members who go to be seen.

There were loads, between 5 and 10, no exaggeration. The buy beside me [on my left, dressed like a cowboy too] let out a massive *snort* during the Haydn and got a sidelong dig in the ribs from your truly, and all through there were little and not so little short, similiar outburts in the front c.10 rows. It was actually crazy.

I loved Brendel's quirkiness, i.e. the sidelong, raised-eyebrow, cycinal stare at the audince after the Haydn, as if to say 'Isn't it ridiculous that we're both here, I can't believe they let me play here like a real professional!' Great performer. And how he finished the first Schubert as if he were playing in stretto with himself, ending with a *bumpfh!* and looking exhausted. Quality stuff. His level of control is just incredible.

The Mad Hatter

banquo wrote:

You seriously didn't notice the snorers!? I'd honestly never seen anything like it. I guess high profile events like these attract your typical yacht club members who go to be seen.

There were loads, between 5 and 10, no exaggeration. The buy beside me [on my left, dressed like a cowboy too] let out a massive *snort* during the Haydn and got a sidelong dig in the ribs from your truly, and all through there were little and not so little short, similiar outburts in the front c.10 rows. It was actually crazy.

I loved Brendel's quirkiness, i.e. the sidelong, raised-eyebrow, cycinal stare at the audince after the Haydn, as if to say 'Isn't it ridiculous that we're both here, I can't believe they let me play here like a real professional!' Great performer. And how he finished the first Schubert as if he were playing in stretto with himself, ending with a *bumpfh!* and looking exhausted. Quality stuff. His level of control is just incredible.

Well, like I said, I had trouble even hearing the piano properly, at my distance. The only real interruption I noticed (aside from the typical half-the-audience-seem-to-be-dying-of-consumption) was the old lady talking behind me. Like your cowboy, she ceased after what I do believe was the most scathing look I've ever given a person. (she was more or less on the receiving end of a really lousy day as well as my irritation at her talking.)

banquo

I liked Haydn's idea of the 'Suprise' symphony. Though I personally would like to take it one small step further and put them all in a concentration camp.

Rofl at the talking lady. I mean honestly, why would you pay so much for permission to attend this thing and then act as if nothing were happening. This very expensive concert was sold out, can you imagine how many people would have really loved to have gone?

Hatter wrote:

the typical half-the-audience-seem-to-be-dying-of-consumption

Rofl x 2

Doshea3

Banquo—I'm glad you gave the snorer beside you a dig. When I heard the first one I was thinking that if he were beside me I would have done the same. Good on you.

Mad Hatter: I was on the choir balcony too, and the sound wasn't too bad, but it could have been better. I guess a good view of Brendel himself made up for it. Whereabouts on the balcony were you?

Snorers and talkers annoy the hell out of me. Especially when it's someone like Brendel playing. I mean, the rest of us actually want to enjoy the recital. I counted at least 30 vacant seats, which annoyed me more considering how I know at least two people who were disappointed they couldn't get a ticket. The no-showers and the snorers/talkers are annoying in equal measure.

The Beethoven was just brilliant. I've not heard it played so well since, well, I last listened to Brendel's own (latest) recording of it. Even a friend of mine who is a severe Brendel-skeptic and Beethoven-nut enjoyed it, so that was saying something. Would have liked to have heard him play the G-flat impromptu at the end, but oh well, can't have it every way. The A-flat did nicely.

banquo

The thing about Brendel is that, while he is unquestionably quirky and his personality certainly does come through in his playing and interpretation, he's not necessarily as 'out there' as some other pianists, living or dead. Gould is a good example of the opposite extreme, obviously, but I have a nagging feeling that I'd have enjoyed the performance more had Brendel been 20 or 30 years younger.

Which leads me to another thing: my god, he certainly was old, wasn't he?

Looking forward to the gould event next monday also. We should all get drunk in the Conrad and hum/whistle/what-have-you the different parts of some Bach inventions. That would be worthy of Youtube

Doshea3

It's funny, because I was thinking the exact same thing the other night. In fact, I even jotted down some of my thoughts regarding Brendel's brand of musical exaggeration versus Gould's: while Brendel brings out minor details in a most understated fashion, Gould does the opposite and as a result Brendel's playing is considered "analytical" whereas Gould's is considered eccentric. Even though Brendel is always going on about how the performer is constantly in service to the composer and not the other way around (as Gould might have seen it), he doesn't always practise what he preaches.

In fact, as I listened to his more recent recording of Liszt's Sonata in B minor (which I bought in the NCH the other night), he totally exaggerates the final statement of the "grandioso" chorale theme (in B major with accompanying triplets) in a way which is worthy of that "master of exaggeration and distortion" Vladimir Horowitz (quote from Virgil Thomson, I think). Perhaps he's just got more wayward as he gets older, as his earlier Liszt Sonata recording (from around 1970) is much more introverted.

Anyway, my point is that after some consideration Brendel and Gould are not really at opposite ends of the spectrum after all—both have a sometimes revelatory and sometimes infuriating penchant for emphasising details which are not so apparent on the page. And both are/were excellent Haydn players (and I'm sure even Brendel would concede that Gould's Haydn is good). I think the image has a lot to do with the pianist's own attitude: Brendel thinks he's being totally faithful to the composer and gives us a take on Liszt that no other Liszt-player considers "authentic", and Gould sets out to create a caricature of a composer like Mozart and ends up making us see Mozart's sonatas in a totally different light.

And that sounds like excellent fun. I tried doing something like that once with fugues from "Art of Fugue", but perhaps the inventions would be a more sensible place to start!

EDIT: Also, Brendel looks older and older every time I see him. I guess he's older looking in real life than in television footage, which is probably a few years old at this stage. He's still a genius, though, even if he's an ancient genius. Battered and venerable.

banquo

I didn't realise that the choir balcony is as bad as you all testify, I've often considered booking there when someone I really admire is playing just so I were physicall closer to them! Lame? Perhaps.

I booked late so I had no choice but to fork out the full 80 for my seat. Was great though, 5th row from the front! He's quite small, isn't he?

Regarding the piano, I loved how clear and precise and solid the treble end was. I could only afford a crappy Kohler and Cambell [everybody hates you, K&C] so to here an instrument of that class was a breath of fresh air.

Doshea3

Nah, the choir balcony's not bad, the sound just isn't quite as good as you might get in the stalls (for a piano recital). Then again, you won't get a much better sound in the front stalls either, so it's a catch 22 really. I don't think it's lame to want to sit close to the performer...I had this in mind when I was booking Brendel. I wanted to see him as well as hear him.

It's interesting you say he's small, because a friend of mine remarked that he was actually taller than he realized.

The piano in the NCH has a really nice sound, but it's not particularly nice to play, surprisingly. It's got that plasticky feel of a new piano with a moderately heavy touch. Gorgeous sound, though. The nicest piano I've ever played is probably my friend's, which is a full-size Bösendorfer grand from the 1890s. My own piano is a reconditioned 1970s Yamaha U3, which does me just fine and didn't cost me too much. (Brand new U3s are in excess of €12,000!)

Pianist2891

Damn choir balcony. Last concert I went to at lunchtime - had to sit up there. Can't hear the piano at all. It was as if the pianist (who was quite good) was playing ppp or pp or AT BEST mp throughout.

Dublin needs a new recital venue!!! Another vote for the Yamahas (my own upright is wonderful, and has hardly ever gone out of tune) and the most gorgeous grand I've played was a Yamaha grand recently!

The piano in the NCH main auditorium needs to be PLAYED more!

The Mad Hatter

Doshea: I was on the right of the choir balcony, wedged between an old man in a yellow shirt and a couple of ladies.

Pianist2891, I couldn't agree more. I think it's like listening through a bad set of speakers - it's not so much that it sounds quiet, as that it sounds powerful but muffled.

As for piano brands - I generally don't like Yamaha or (shock) Steinway, though the upright Yamaha I have at work is phenomenal to play (amazingly powerful sound for its size, crystal clear and holds its tuning, though the una corda pedal is a bit useless). But it's always going to be Kawai for me, I think. Have never played a Bösendorfer, though.

banquo

Doshea3 wrote:

a full-size Bösendorfer grand

Holy caviar. That's expensive.

I never really felt at home playing a Steinway. Yamaha I like, but not great versatility in the sound I find. There's a decent chance that that last sentence makes no sense, but how and ever. I think you're dead right Pianist2891 that the piano in the NCH needs to be played more, lacks that warmth that time and wear on the soundboard gives.

The greatest piano in the world, howver, is my own K&C. Many wonderful features, including:

a) Practically bi-weekly conversations with your piano tuner
b) The convincing illusion that you are playing from the inside of a tin can.
c) Bass notes very heavy, treble notes very light

Even it's f*cked up shape will endear you for many [3-4] years of playing.

Pianist2891

I didn't realize I was doing this, but I was straining forward as if I were a geriatric with bad hearing, any more and I'd have toppled over the balcony.. SUCH was the effort needed to make sense of what was being played on the piano.

banquo

I know a girl who plays like a blind person who's seat has unfortunately been nailed to the ground four feet from the piano, and makes the most of her disability by holding her face at absolute point blank range to the score. I've been tempted for years to crack out the compass and measure the angle.

Pianist2891

Bring her to the piano circle meeting.

banquo

Girl: Wh-.. Why do they all have compasses?

Pianist2891

Me, in learned voice: Why my dear, its a Piano CIRCLE after all. We sit at the piano, and draw circles.