My remarks at the beginning of the second of 13 concerts of Beethoven’s complete piano music played by New England Conservatory students during 2020. Let me tell you... I almost never do stand-up comedy on a Thursday night. Friday is better. Sometimes even Tuesday can be good. I mean not a Thursday though... tonight is a Thursday right — and you see what I mean. You can see how this is going, … [Read more...]
First Note
To conjure the first sound from the piano, at the beginning of a piece, at the beginning of a concert... In a live performance, this first sound can be made only once. In my mind, I do it over and over again. More than other instruments, the piano is an instrument of imagination. Most of us don't travel with our own pianos. Although we may have an ideal piano sound in our mind, we never hear it. So we're always adjusting, adapting -- … [Read more...]