Berezovsky recital in Tübingen, Germany (Feb. 27, 2012)

As I wrote many times in our forums, he is my favorite pianist (I don't maintain that he is the best, I just like him :wink: ) and on the Febrary 27 I had the opportunity to visit his third recital he gave in the small city where I study.

Actually the recital had to be held in the last January, but he was ill and it was rescheduled. The initially announced program was Brahms and Chopin, but the organizer of the recital announced again that he has changed it so that he will play Medtner instead of the Brahms.

I saw him screw a recital up a couple of times (live and through internet broadcastings) , but on that day he was at the best condition I ever saw from him. His Medtner was really stunning... He seemed to be capable of everything... I've never experienced live such a virtuosity which is so deeply moving at the same time.

After having played the last piece of the new program (Op.20-2 Campanella) he brought a score to the grand and played a rather simple piece of Medtner as a encore of the first half of the recital.

During the break a man tuned the Bechstein full size grand. The series of concerts in this hall have been always sponsored by the Bechstein Center Tübingen, but many other renowned pianist who often come to here like Sokolov, Volodos etc. used a Steinway. In contrast Berezosky played on a Bechstein all the three times. On that day the Bechstein sounded incredibly beautifully. The bass is especially amazing.

Berezovsky was supposed to play Chopin (Scherzo no. 3, Barcarolle, 3 Impromptus, Valses), but after he appeard on the stage he said he will play the Paganini Variations of Brahms which stood in the program before the change. I guessed he would play finally Chopin after that Brahms, but then he named complete different pieces: Brahms' Hungarian Dances. He went from them to "some spanish music", 4 pieces from Suite Espagnole of Albeniz! I've never even imagined him playing Albeniz, but all the pieces are really rapturing. I found the lyric side of Berezovsky that I knew and loved so much from his Liadov again. Following that, he played Godowsky's transcriptions of the Swan (Saint-Saens), of the Sarabande (Lully). The last piece was so beautiful... The third piece of Godowsky Transcription was Chopin's Minute Waltz (He said "Finally a Chopin, but transcribed by Godowsky", arousing a laughter from the audiences). The following pieces was 3 Preludes of Gershwin. Now I realized that the Paganini Variations was just a transition to a series of dances!! On that day his mood was adjusted to play dances and jazz

After playing some Chopin as "real" encores, he left the stage. The hall was full of enthusiatic applauses!!

With a girl friend of mine who was responsible of taking photos :wink: I waited for him in front of the "Künstlerzimmer". There were five people in front of me. They changed some words with him and got autographes. Finally my turn! I gave him my "Ludus Tonalis" (Hindemith) cd and the lacker pen. He asked me where I'm from. I said "From South Korea. I'm big fan of you! I visited all the three recitals you have given here!!". He asked again "Are you studying here?" I answered that I'm a PhD candidate of phlosophy and he said "wow!" At the moment I got the courage to say "I play the piano myself as hobby. I started to learn Liadov - Barcarolle and some preludes- through your playing and played them for other people!" By this statement of me emerged a friendly atmosphere between us and my friend took pictures of us. As we said farewell he gave me an "advice": "Don't play Medtner! It's too difficult. But the last piece I played today is not that difficult." It was a bit funny but nevertheless I was happy about having said all the prepared words

 

Happy for you!

 

Thank you Eddy! Is there a living pianist, with whom you want to take a picture or, whose concert you don't want to miss? (I know you like Lipatti, whom I also like, but he died in 1950)

 

I don't think my wife would like it, but a picture with Hélène Grimaud would be very nice. :wink:

 

:lol: :lol: :lol:
BTW my husband didn't see those photos yet (he just congratulated on the fact of that success and was not that interested) :lol:

 

You better go put on your wolf clothes then

 

Hauoooooooooooooo!

 

It's a start ;-)

 

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

I never thought it was that easy to go up to these people. I am no great one for that sort of thing, but I do have a daughter (aged 3) who is a great fan of Khvorostovsky. I bet if we went to a concert of his we would be allowed to approach within half a mile.

Good for you!

 

Thanks Richard for your friendly comments! My daughter becomes 3 years old in the next month, and also she likes some "classical stars" like Sarah Chang and Sol Gabetta
BTW I think it depends on the venue. In such a small venue like that university hall in Tübingen every "stars" are approchable. A friend of mine takes photos of himself nearly every time with them and he even went to cafes with some renowned musicians! Another friend of mine succeeded to talk with Sokolov already two times!
The audience here are very old, so some students like me want to talk to them, nearly every musician is willing to retort. An advantage of living in a small, but cultral city

 

Ah yes Tubingen! Lovely little place! I used to know some people who studied there.

 

Wow.

 

It is one of the three main German universities, so it comes as no surprise.

 

@Richard, Eddy: It's a completely new information to me that my university is one of the three main ones in Germany?! We just have many historical celebrities, as the wikipedia says

@Monica: I saw that you posted the very amusing story of you and Hamelin on this thread about an hour ago. But did you deleted that? Now my kid is sleeping and I wanted to reply to your post...

 

No, you are always very welcome, Monica!!! BTW how was it with Kissin? Did he speak anything? Were there people who take photos with him?