Perahia's new Brahms recital

[Belgrove]

Any new release by Murray Perahia is an event and his latest recital on Sony, comprising the Handel Variations, Two Rhapsodies op 79 and the late pieces opp 118 and 119, is rather special. Late Brahms is so rich and profound and Perahia does full justice to these glorious works, revealing detail and insightful interconnections between the pieces that I had not registered previously. These are wonderful interpretations of what is some of the most complex and satisfying music in the solo piano repertoire. One can only hope that he will follow up with the Opp 116 and 117.

[sigolene euphemia]

I love Murray Perahia. I wish I had a copy of the extraordinary interviews he did with Ottawa host Eric Freisen of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC radio2 This has to be one of the most memorable moments in my listening to radio. Eric and Murray.

A two-hour special today about internationally-acclaimed pianist Murray Perahia on Studio Sparks. This broadcast includes Perahia in conversation with host Eric Friesen, as well as live and recorded performances by this remarkable performer.I imagine Perahia must have rather a lot to say about music. According to one interview about the great pianist, his fascination with music started very young. Perahia's father, a tailor, took his young son along to Metropolitan Opera performances on Saturday nights.

"The next day I would sing the arias I heard at the opera," Perahia said. "That's what started it. Next thing I knew, we had a piano and I was taking lessons." He began taking lessons at the age of four, but says his parents never pushed him to play: "It was always my idea."
- CBC radio 2

Mssr Perahia is pure JOY.

A friend tells me this interview often airs in a repeat on classical Australian radio. Ahhh. streaming. It boggles my mind where we can go for a listen from the intimate privacy of our own homes.

kind wishes,
sigolene

[PatrickOD]

Thanks for the prompt. This goes on my wish list.

Strangely, I don't have any of Brahms's piano music on CD. Every time I hear some I reslove to rectify that omission,

The first time I heard Brahms was at a local piano competition, in the eighties, where the odds on favourite was pipped at the post by a young lady who gave a storming performance of a ballade.

Both of those young competitors went on to professional music careers, one as a pianist and teacher, the other, the Brahms performer, as a contralto.

Both have joined the vast community of excellent musicians whose names are not on everyone's lips.
Just a thought.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Brahms-H%C3%A4ndel-Variations-Murray-Perahia/dp/B003VKW0YA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294405769&sr=8-1

[Alison]

A bit of a snip at £8.99 :)

Very good reviews in Guardian, Observer and IRR to name but three.

[HighlandDougie]

The A major Intermezzo from the Opus 118 set would melt the hardest of hearts. Wonderful music - a disc which I have played often since acquiring it last month. And at £8.99 is indeed a snip. I also hope that the Op 116 and 117 will follow, although I note that MP has withdrawn from some concerts due to a recurrence of the problems with his hand. Let's hope that he makes a speedy recovery.

[amateur51]

I love Murray Perahia. I wish I had a copy of the extraordinary interviews he did with Ottawa host Eric Freisen of Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. CBC radio2 This has to be one of the most memorable moments in my listening to radio. Eric and Murray.

A two-hour special today about internationally-acclaimed pianist Murray Perahia on Studio Sparks. This broadcast includes Perahia in conversation with host Eric Friesen, as well as live and recorded performances by this remarkable performer.I imagine Perahia must have rather a lot to say about music. According to one interview about the great pianist, his fascination with music started very young. Perahia's father, a tailor, took his young son along to Metropolitan Opera performances on Saturday nights.

"The next day I would sing the arias I heard at the opera," Perahia said. "That's what started it. Next thing I knew, we had a piano and I was taking lessons." He began taking lessons at the age of four, but says his parents never pushed him to play: "It was always my idea."
- CBC radio 2

Mssr Perahia is pure JOY.

A friend tells me this interview often airs in a repeat on classical Australian radio. Ahhh. streaming. It boggles my mind where we can go for a listen from the intimate privacy of our own homes.

kind wishes,
sigolene

I share your enthusiasm for Murray Perahia, sigolene and I wish that I had heard the programme that you mentioned.

I wonder if you know of this wonderful set of masterclasses by Alfred Cortot, a pianist whom Perahia admires hugely.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Masterclasses-Ecole-Normale-Alfred-Cortot/dp/tracks/B000BC8T8C/ref=dp_tracks_all_3#disc_3

Perahia gives an introduction to several pieces and speaks very well, and the written notes are fascinating too.

Here's a taste of Cortot in masterclass mode - I love it ..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rNUNNNNj_Qw

What an artist ... and the philistines used to count the wrong notes!