Chapter 14 and 15

I never knew Anton Rubenstein was considered such a pianistic giant. According to von Bulow he was not only a “bear” but even Liszt could not match him. It is interesting though that several pianists are said to perform their “musical” best when they play wrong notes and have to improvise. Rachmaninoff recalled that Rubinstein performed Balakirev’s Islamey with wonderful charm until he had a memory lapse and improvised himself back into the second half which “somehow lacked the charm” of the first half. I must add that I have also heard many of Cortot’s recordings that are very special but full of edits and wrong notes. Its easy to hear edits when there so much noise in the background. But I feel it doesn’t mean, of course, that playing wrong notes and having memory lapses make you musical. Otherwise I will be as musical as it gets!

Faure’s technique is characterized as being light, rapid, and winged as well as lyric. The violin sonata comes to mind. I wonder how it will be possible to play opening of the work with a German “digging” into the keys. It is much easier bringing out the lyrical melody with the arpeggios lightly flying by so to speak. It was also interesting reading Moskowsky’s opinion about the pianists of his day. For a Russian pianist and composer his etudes certainly seem to have been influenced by the French technique. As far as the French pianists are concerned I feel the chapter could have mentioned much more about the technique and pianism of Ravel, Franck, Debussy, and Poulenc.

Also, perhaps Cortot and Philipp’s ideas on transposing exercises date back to Bach’s Well-tempered Clavier. But I found it most interesting that Marguerite Long worked with Debussy on his works. I think Cortot also worked with Ravel, or perhaps another pianist, and broadcast his entire repertoire for piano on radio. (It is also published if I remember correctly) Is it not a much different idea to work with a composer on his works than without? Also to what extent does the performer influence the composer? I know that Ravel throughout his life felt that he would never be able to as good a pianist as Cortot. Chopin for instance always performed his own works, thus he probable had not much pianistic influence from others. I think it is quite a reality that some of the great pianists may have influenced some of their contemporary composers.

I enjoyed the quote on pedaling. I have always been taught to practice without the pedal but never knew that it was Chopin who urged his students to do so. Lastly, after reading about Debussy’s strange behavior I feel much better about packing everything in my house symmetrically. I can’t function either if everything isn’t aligned. The only thing I cannot align is my girlfriend but I manage to make the bed around her while she is sleeping.