“Rudy Should Play More Chopin”

TR: It sounds like you studied with both Serkin and Horsz at the same time? Was that typical, or did you take master classes from one or how did that work? It seems curious to me that MH was such cool as a teacher, through his playing I naturally assumed that he was effusive and passionate, and very forthcoming. It’s so interesting how those qualities break down in different people. I think of Serkin is RIGOROUS, even though the stuff I admire most about his playing can be his tenderness… but of course, that’s in the contrast. With MH I immediately think of TENDERNESS, and that smooth, rounded tone…
EP: Most lessons were with Serkin and occasionally with Horszowski when RS was out of town playing concerts. I wouldn’t say MH was “cool”, but his demeanor was quiet and gentle. RS was rigorous and though his playing had incredible beauty at times such as a performance I heard him do of the K 595 Mozart Concerto (the 2nd movement brought me to tears I remember), it was his passion that was most evident. Unforgettable Beethoven 4 and 5, Brahms D minor, Schumann A minor, Weber Concertstucke, and solo recitals that included many Beethoven Sonatas, Schubert A major post humous, “Wanderer” Fantasie, etc., were unforgettable. MH’s playing had a directness and sincerity that was best shown in the 31/3 Beethoven Sonata during my Curtis years.
TR: But some time back when I reviewing a bunch of reissues I covered a Serkin recording from the 1930s, and it was really a surprise: it sounded so fresh, so lively, so spontaneous, made me realize he was a young man like everybody else… that he had grown more and more CONTROLLED as he got older. I think of a STERNness of sound that suits the Brahms 2nd piano concerto so well.
EP: I remember hearing a recording of Serkin’s 4th Beethoven that was from the late 30s or so that was quite fresh and spontaneous. I do agree that he became “closer to the cuff” as he got older, yet the recordings of the Beethoven Concertos with Ozawa in Boston are quite beautiful. The sternness of sound was a frequent result of his intensity and kind of “going over the top” perhaps. If the piano and hall were favorable, in a live recital, his sound was glorious and appropriate. He did not record well and very few of his recordings do him justice. I don’t believe that there is any way that the reproduction of sound was able to encompass his dynamic range and convey his concept and communication in a live performance.
TR: I remember two Serkin stories. The first you used to tell about winning the Philadelphia Orchestra concerto competition with the Tchaikovsky, and working up towards the performance with increasing anxiety about how it was going. Serkin told you you needed to practice that single piece at least six hours a day. You took it in to Peter Serkin, and you had all the notes but were still struggling with it, and Peter asked you how much are you practicing? And you told him his father’s instruction, and he waived you off saying “He practices too much.” And that by the time the concert rolled around you had gotten to the other side of all the stress and it actually came off fine. But the experience was a lesson in going OVERBOARD in preparing and working a piece too hard instead of giving it the space it needs — the space that a PERSON needs to play it well.
EP: Your recollection is mostly correct regarding the Tchaikovsky performance preparation with the Philadelphia. I actually won the competition playing the Brahms D minor, but Ormandy refused to allow me to play the Brahms because I was too “young”. He refused the Tchaikovsky, also, but when his doctor cancelled some of his performances for the next season, William Smith became the conductor and agreed to do the Tchaikovsky. As I was preparing for the performance, Serkin told me I had to practice it eight hours a day and then the anxiety started to enter the picture. I had never found the piece to be that difficult, but his insistance on so much practice scared me. Peter was 16 years old at the time and a good friend, so I told him the story. He said, “my father practices too much”, and don’t listen to him. I let up and it became easier as you indicate.
TR: The second story was about Ken Whatshisname, that Iowa guy, getting a lesson with Serkin on the Brahms 2, and going over, and Serkin had a plane to catch, and finally was so into the lesson that he made a phone call, canceled his flight, and rebooked for a later time or the next day even. And Ken was so grateful when the lesson finished he asked how could he ever repay him? Serkin said “Someday you’ll give this lesson to somebody else, that’s your payment.”
EP: Honestly, I don’t remember this story. It sounds like something RS might do, but I just can’t recall it. My friend is Kenneth Amada who was a neighbor in Philadelphia and eventually on the faculty of the University of Iowa.
TR: Do you hear much of Rudolf in Peter’s playing? What are the similarities, differences… and what does it say about Peter’s story that he began as a rebellious contemporary upstart with that chamber group Tashi and has wound up having the most conventional career…?
EP: There are certain aspects of musical conception that Peter has maintained from his father’s influence. A long line, directness, and lack of sentimentality and superficiality. There were many differences that came about for a myriad of reasons, I would suspect. Peter had a real affinity for new music that his father seemed to avoid, and perhaps it was his way of taking a different path. Interestingly, Peter has become very associated with performing the Brahms D minor concerto, and that was RS’s signature piece. I heard Peter play this about 20 years ago and then again about three or four years ago. His playing had changed remarkably and the most recent rendition was more introspective and reserved, particularly in the 2nd movement. For whatever reason, Peter does not allow the passion to explode or even flow freely in the way that RS did.
TR: Who would you say made the most unlikely Serkin student — the one you were surprised to hear had studied with him after hearing them play? Do you remember either Serkin or MH making comments about each other’s playing or approach? Or any other famous players?
EP: I don’t really have a person who comes to mind who was an unlikely RS student. Everyone who I have known or heard who studied with him was very influenced by his approach. Each person in subsequent years who I have heard eventually developed his/her style and own voice. RS did not try to impose himself on our way of playing, but there were definite ideas of conceptual unity and projection. He also was very upset if he perceived that we thought of our performances and careers as being of greater importance than the music.
Serkin always spoke highly of Horszowski in the general sense, but I never heard any comments about specific performances. Only one time did Horszowski comment about a RS performance after a solo recital in Curtis Hall. RS performed among other works, the Chopin Barcarolle on a brand new Steinway that had just been delivered to Curtis. The piano did not have a singing upper register and as hard as RS tried, the top notes of the RH chords in the Barcarolle did not “sing”. Overall, it was not a successfull performance, nevertheless, MH was overheard saying to Eleanor Sokoloff that “Rudy should play more Chopin”. Eleanor Sokoloff said to me the next day that she could not believe that Horszowski would say such a thing after such a performance.
As far as other pianists, he always spoke kindly. I saw him backstage where we greeted Artur Rubinstein after he played at the Academy of Music in Philadelphia, and RS was all smiles and obviously pleased with the playing he had heard. Perhaps he had reservations about aspects of it, but he never volunteered anything on his own. I one time did comment about being disappointed about some aspects of Guimar Novaes’ playing when I heard her in recital, and he was not too happy with my criticisms.
When I played all of the Chopin Etudes for him, he particularly liked how I played Op. 10 No. 1 which he indicated was very difficult for him. He liked my Op. 10 No. 2, but that was much more difficult for me, but not so difficult for him. He said that Horowitz found No. 1 easier and No. 2 much more difficult as was my experience. Clearly, that was due to the shape and size of our hands.
TR: I have to say after lots of listening that Rachmaninoff is hands down my favorite player… did you ever get into his recordings?
EP: I cannot say that I have ever “gotten into” Rachmaninoff’s recordings, but have heard some that stand out such as the Bb Minor Chopin Sonata. Overall, I still have to rate Artur Rubinstein as my favorite pianist, but not for everything.