There lives in exile in London one Berezovsky who is unsavoury: wanted by the authorities and what not. It must be a common surname, though, as the first Russian composer to write a symphony was also called Berezovsky and I remember enrolling a student at the school where I work who is one Berezovskaya.

Yes, and he's also Boris. He's an oligarch; whether being an enemy of Putin makes him unsavoury or not is another matter.

Oh, thank you Chris so much for this, which encourages me a lot in this personally hard time, even though I think this was too OT

Thank you, Chris!!! Good to have you here, as always! I'm very excited now having the scores (thank the IMSLP, too, which has so much of his works).

Is he wearing a leather jacket there? I though it's a silk jacket...
I know and admit that he is not that great for the most cases, but personally I remember his best cases, which let me stay as his fan

As I had googled him (the pianist) for the first time, I was surprised how he looks differently on some photos

I'm dying of curiosity, David!

I already knew that he often overcomes his memory-black with improvisation and gives sometimes the impressions that he haven't finished the work he is playing on the concert yet... But in front of the score... BTW I'm curious about the piece and have to go to your page, David.

Thank you for your kind wish, David! I hope, too, that I can post new things on AR. I actually wanted to record a Brahms chamber music, but that Brahms-project was stopped by some reasons and from that shock I was mislead ( ) to a very difficult piece, so I don't know when it will be possible for me to record something. Maybe after finishing the dissertation??


Yes, your renditions have your own colour. I have respect for that.

Didn't he? That was the performance which led me to learn and record that piece. But you know, he played many wrong notes which I couldn't notice at all. He changed some harmonies etc.

Hi Hye-Jin,

Hmmm... dying of curiosity. But still no hints.

You need not search too far for the Rachmaninoff revised "Melodie". It's still right here on the front page of Audition Room. It's a gorgeous piece, so I hope you'll enjoy it.

Yes, a doctoral project is all consuming as I know from experience. Plus that Brahms project. If you have no time to record but can spend a little time here to comment now and then, everyone would welcome that, I'm sure! That Brahms project sounds really tough. Sometimes he writes orchestrally rather than pianistically for the piano, resulting in some really awkward and difficult passage work. His music always has a very mature sound though.

Thanks again for your kind comments on my Liadoff pieces.

David

Not ! Anyway, you started it


Hehe, not sure about that. But I do know a little bit about Liadov.


Oh could well be. In that case, he reminds me of a Chinese shady guy

Hi,

I think that the trend toward informality for artists in recital, such as the ubiquitous black pants and black shirt for men, runs counter to long-standing tradition. Being a performing artist is a noble endeavor, and for that reason the artist should not only strive for peak performance, but should look the part as well. Many will say I'm old school. Maybe so, but that's the way I see it.

David

You are right, David, though I do believe you can be smart without looking like an undertaker (mortician).

Do you remember Nigel Kennedy?

Hi Richard,

I don't recall Nigel Kennedy, but I certainly remember Nigel Bruce as the bumbling Dr. Watson playing opposite Basil Rathbone as Sherlock Holmes. Probably makes the same point though. OK, OK, yes, the violinist who plays classical and other genres. He is rather versatile.

David

Very well played, David! Although a few Preludes seem less complete than the Preludes of his other Russian counterparts. Have you also played the Preludes of Kabalevsky or Scriabin as well?... I wish I had the time to finish them as a complete set. You played played this suite of Preludes with sensitivity and understanding...

Any maritime voyages this summer?... I am sailing to Nantucket next week from Hyannis with two other friends, barring any storm(s) this time.

George

Hi George,

Thanks for listening to these Liadoff pieces and the nice compliment. Actually he wrote 30 preludes, some in sets and others as standalones. So it's not an insubstantial output by any measure, as there are plenty to choose from there. I currently have four more of these in the works.

I've never touched Kabalevsky's stuff. I have played through some of Scriabin's preludes, but never invested time in preparing them for recordings. I did record his Poeme Op. 32 No. 2. It's funny because some people love his Chopinesque early period works, while others much prefer his mystical music from the late period. I actually like the middle period best! So in the future I'll probably be recording some of that music. I've got ducks lined up next to my piano, so I'm never at a loss of the next recording project!

Have a great time out on Nantucket. Last time I was there was around 1970. We departed from Woods Hole on the Nobska, a vernerable old steamer ferry built at Bath Iron Works in 1925. On the voyage we passed the Nantucket Light Ship, also built by BIW. I put my car on the ferry, so we got around to see all the sights between ferry runs. The town there is really neat.

My wife and I will be on a couple of ferry trips this season, the one out to Swans Island first. Then later on we'll go out to Monhegan Island. We might make it out to North Haven Island as well. It has a charming harbor.

David

"Bath built is best built!" Bath Ironworks is one of the best in the whole country. I love Cape Cod history! The Nobska was before my time, but I've heard about The Friends of Nobska who tried to raise funds to restore the ferry ship after 1975. I know that it lied in dry dock at the Charlestown Navy Yard for 10 years becuase they finally needed the slip for the USS Constitution and USS Cassin Young. Despite efforts, the Steamship Authority scrapped the Nobska about 5 years ago -- Ode to Nobska! However, the Steamship Authority installed the Nobska whistle on the Eagle, BUT they replaced the horn with air power, which doesn't sound anything like the steam powered version. I don't know what they did with the steam engine. I think the Nobska was the last surviving American steamship... You rode it in just the nick of time!

Oh, well, it's going to rain tomorrow morning for my sailing trip. Let's hope the waves aren't too high in Nantucket Sound!

Hi George,

The Nobska was an elegant ferry. They don't make them like that anymore! Too bad the preservation group couldn't save it. And yes, Bath Iron Works rules. It fiercely competes with the Ingalls Shipyard in Mississippi for navy business. Hopefully it can survive into the future. Another great ferry I took with my wife was the MV Bluenose, built in 1955 and operated by the Canadian National Railroad from Bar Harbor, ME to Yarmouth, NS. We put the car aboard and toured most of Nova Scotia in 1969. The crossing took about 6 or 7 hours as I recall, and it was great! The ferry had a crew of 91. The Bluenose was replaced in 2006 by The Cat, docked in Portland, a huge high-speed catamaran ferry. It lost its Canadian subsidy about three years ago and went bust. Now there's no ferry service. I say bring back the Bluenose!!

Bon Voyage on your sail to Nantucket. We'll try to keep the waves no more than 2 feet for you. Have a good time!

David

Dear David,
that´s a marvellous performance your great experience and expression can be felt thoroughly! I have listened to all four pieces with great pleasure and interest. I also could follow with score except of op. 33 I couldn´t find it. You play all very exactly and musically, so that is a performance of an excellent standard (as we are used by you).
Continue, please, to record such nice gems for us!