Vladimir Ashkenazy retires

[Petrushka]

Vladimir Ashkenazy has retired from public performance with immediate effect.

https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news/2020-01-17/vladimir-ashkenazy-retires

[pastoralguy]

Ashkenazy went on tour with the newly formed Scottish Chamber Orchestra at the beginning of his conducting career when he was comparatively inexperienced, combining a piano concerto in the first half with a Schubert or Mendelssohn symphony in the second half. A friend related an experience where, due to a mix up, there was no grand piano in the small town in Canada where their tour took them so an upright had to do! The programme was a Mozart Concerto, directed from the keyboard. The orchestra almost got a fit of the giggles when during the tutti passages these discombobulated hands would appear over the upright giving cues to the winds and brass!

Afterwards, Ashkenazy related that he often played on good, bad and TERRIBLE pianos in the USSR as a young musician. He'd played the Brahms second Concerto on an upright with a colleague playing the Orchestral part on another upright! The SCO rated Ashkenazy EXTREMELY highly as did all the Orchestras he played with.

A truly great and humble musician.

[jayne lee wilson]

Wow.... off-the-top-of, the Ashkenazy disc that always comes to mind is the Rachmaninov The Bells, with the Concertgebouw on an earlyish Decca CD - stunning musically and sonically...

[Stanfordian]

Vladimir Ashkenazy has retired from public performance with immediate effect.

https://www.harrisonparrott.com/news...kenazy-retires

A super concert pianist and I believe an underrated conductor. I have many fond memories of him conducting the Liverpool Phil.

[richardfinegold]

I wonder if he has a major Health Issue. This seems very abrupt for a workaholic like him

[rauschwerk]

I was privileged to be seated on stage and close to the piano at his UK debut for Mill Hill Music Club in 1963. He played the four Chopin Ballades and two sonatas from Beethoven's Op. 31. I thought his playing terrific, though at the same time I realised that I would never be able to play one millionth as well as that!

[Petrushka]

I wonder if he has a major Health Issue. This seems very abrupt for a workaholic like him

Yes, the same thought crossed my mind also. Let's hope it's not the case!

I first saw Ashkenazy with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic in the Victoria Hall, Hanley in 1977 (Mozart PC 17 & Rachmaninov Symphony No 2), when, as PG says he was inexperienced and learning the ropes in out of the way places. I saw him again while I happened to be in Berlin at the Philharmonie in 1990 and met him after the concert.

[cloughie]

He is 10 years my senior and as pianist and conductor always been there - maybe at 82, for whatever reason he maybe feels he can’t do it anymore -sad, but I hope his remaining years will be stress-free. I can’t really find the right words, but so many conductors and soloists that have been mainstays of my recorded music collection are now, either inactive or no longer with us.

[BBMmk2]

I rather like his Rachmaninov piano music. His orchestral interpretations however, seem inconsistent imo.

[teamsaint]

I saw him conduct Dvorak 9 late last year, and he looked well, and gave his usual joyous performance.
I love seeing him conduct, always a life affirming experience, but OTOH more opportunity for younger musicians must be a good thing.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I rather like his Rachmaninov piano music. His orchestral interpretations however, seem inconsistent imo.

I have only ever seen Ashkenazy perform as a conductor - none of his recordings (that I know of) have come close to the excitement and joyful experience of his Live concerts, which all left me floating from the concert hall full of goodwill to all humanity.

I shall greatly miss never being able to see him in concert again, and, like others, I hope that his decision hasn't been spurred by health issues, and that he has a very long and very enjoyable retirement, during which the temptation to return to the platform occasionally will prove irresistible.

[richardfinegold]

I rather like his Rachmaninov piano music. His orchestral interpretations however, seem inconsistent imo.

That’s a pretty accurate assesment. I really did like the Sibelius First with the Philharmonia, however

[muzzer]

I saw him conduct Dvorak 9 late last year, and he looked well, and gave his usual joyous performance.
I love seeing him conduct, always a life affirming experience, but OTOH more opportunity for younger musicians must be a good thing.

At the RFH? I was there too. It was magnificent, and if that’s the last time I see him conduct I’m saddened, but wish him well in what I hope is long and happy retirement.

[Pianoman]

I read on another forum that he has issues with severe arthritis...

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

I read on another forum that he has issues with severe arthritis...

Yes - it's been a problem for a long time there is a Guardian interview from 2002 which mentions this, causing him to cut down on his public piano playing activities:

https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2002/nov/08/artsfeatures1