Sandy and I attended not one but two Pierre-Laurent Aimard concerts this weekend, his final appearances as an Artistic Partner of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, and had the pleasure of speaking with him after each show.
One was at a private party in the SPCO Center. Pierre-Laurent played solo piano for an hour, beginning with 4 pieces from The Art of Fugue by J.S. Bach. These were followed by Debussy's Suite Bergamasque, which contains the famous Clair de Lune, then Chopin's Berceuse (Lullaby), with its compelling ostinato and chromaticism. The recital ended with two magnificent performances of Ravel: Noctuelles and La Vallee des Cloches, the one frantically conjuring up the erratic flight of moths, while the other reminds me of one of those sunken plains in the south of France, where nothing impedes the sound of village bells. Pieere-Laurent introduced each piece, giving the audience unique insights into the artistry of these compositions.
The other was at the Ordway Theater, where the program was Beethoven's first two Piano Concertos, and George Benjamin's At First Light. Pierre-Laurent conducted the Beethoven from the piano, and conducted the Benjamin in between, a piece for 14 players, in which Skip James played piano and celeste.
Showing posts with label pierre-laurent aimard. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pierre-laurent aimard. Show all posts
Monday, February 16, 2009
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Beethoven and Goebbels at the Ordway Theater
Last night, Sandy and I got to hear three different orchestras at an event that is part of the SPCO's 50th International Anniversary Chamber Music Festival.
The evening opened with Pierre-Laurent Aimard playing the Emperor (Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5) with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. I am not a huge Beethoven fan, but I do like this rather unusual piece, with the very grandiose intro and the rather wonky rhythm in the Rondo. Pierre-Laurent's playing was excellent, as always, and received a standing ovation.
This was followed by Heiner Goebbels' "Songs of Wars I Have Seen", played by a double orchestra: the London Sinfonietta and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. This 26-movement opus blends three different elements: readings from Gertrude Stein, some period instrument playing from the Elizabethan and Baroque periods, plus some more modern music, with jazz and Asiatic influences. Hard to describe and has to be experienced, but really a very accessible and exciting work.
The evening opened with Pierre-Laurent Aimard playing the Emperor (Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5) with the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. I am not a huge Beethoven fan, but I do like this rather unusual piece, with the very grandiose intro and the rather wonky rhythm in the Rondo. Pierre-Laurent's playing was excellent, as always, and received a standing ovation.
This was followed by Heiner Goebbels' "Songs of Wars I Have Seen", played by a double orchestra: the London Sinfonietta and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. This 26-movement opus blends three different elements: readings from Gertrude Stein, some period instrument playing from the Elizabethan and Baroque periods, plus some more modern music, with jazz and Asiatic influences. Hard to describe and has to be experienced, but really a very accessible and exciting work.
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