RIP Christopher Falzone (1985 - 22.10.2014)

[Nick Armstrong]

A desperately sad end to a life, the story of which is almost unbelievable both in its achievements and in its adversity.

With Christopher Falzone's suicide on Wednesday, only recordings will illustrate the former - for example this wonderful arrangement for piano solo (!) of Rachmaninov's 3rd piano concerto

Or this performance aged 11 of the 2nd concerto: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nq-w...&feature=share

As for the adversity, brace yourself before reading on

http://www.pizzicato.lu/the-tragic-story-of-29-years-old-argerich-protege-christopher-falzone/

http://slippedisc.com/2014/10/the-unreportable-end-of-christopher-falzone/

(the comment of "a friend of Christopher's" after the article is telling)

RIP ... much needed, it seems...

[Petrushka]

A tragic story indeed.

I'm sorry to have to link to Lebrecht's site but the comments following the story might be of interest and give a more rounded view of this tragic narrative.

http://slippedisc.com/2014/10/the-unreportable-end-of-christopher-falzone/

[Nick Armstrong]

A tragic story indeed.

I'm sorry to have to link to Lebrecht's site but the comments following the story might be of interest and give a more rounded view of this tragic narrative.

http://slippedisc.com/2014/10/the-un...opher-falzone/

It is linked in my OP for that very reason, Pet. Awful.... As Stephen Fry has been writing recently, trying to find 'why?' in relation to mental issues is probably futile - like bad weather, it just is, sometimes, and the consequences have to be anticipated... minimised if possible..., accommodated with understanding &c. &c. It all makes one think...

[Petrushka]

It is linked in my OP for that very reason, Pet. Awful.... As Stephen Fry has been writing recently, trying to find 'why?' in relation to mental issues is probably futile - like bad weather, it just is, sometimes, and the consequences have to be anticipated... minimised if possible... &c. &c.

Apologies, I only saw the first link and missed the other. What a terrible story, though.

[Stillhomewardbound]

It is linked in my OP for that very reason, Pet. Awful....

Caliban set out his OP very well and presented that there seemed, very much, to be two sides to this tragic tale.

We will be deprived of an astonishing artist to come but at least he is out of the obvious and torrid turmoil of his life. May he rest in peace.

[BBMmk2]

What a sad way to end one's life. I think he must've ben really down to do this. I have come across a lot of this in my nursing career.

[ahinton]

The widely divergent stores abounding on the subject of this pianist whose life seems to have become far worse than anything ever encountered even by John Ogdon is almost as worrying as that life itself and the circumstances of its end. He made and performed solo piano transcriptions of various piano concerti including two of Rachmaninov's and even the Busoni (all of which he has also performed with orchestra, of course). Not being able to sort the wheat from the chaff of the various versions of what befell him makes it incumbent upon one to be very wary of anything that one reads, but his remarkable legacy itself is fortunately resistant to being denied or argued about. I wonder how Martha Argerich feels about this, having supported and mentored him?...