Happy summer!
Posted by Judith - 05/07/10 at 12:07:28 amIn my last post I welcomed in the spring, and today it’s summer! It’s time for sun, heat and al fresco dining. In Madrid, the heat can become unbearable during the day so when the sun goes down the terraces come alive. I love to sit on one of them and enjoy the sunset, chatting with friends, catching up on each others lives. It is these simple moments that ennoble us.
This spring was very good to me. It started off with Yamaha Spain inviting me to Frankfurt for the presentation of their new concert grand. To try out the new piano we had the pleasure of hearing Piotr Anderszewski play. Of course, with a pianist like him, the piano sounded great, especially playing Schumann – it was a rare treat to hear Anderszewski render the Six Studies in Canon Form op. 56.
A few days later I was performing at the Rompeolas Festival, in support of San Sebastian’s candidature for City of Culture 2016. It was an unforgettable experience — 140 people on stage at dawn with the spectacular Victoria Eugenia Theatre in the background, and listening to María Berasarte … a strong voice, full of style, of nuances, of music. We understood each other well right from the first rehearsal, it was one of those musical infatuations where there is no need for words and everything flows just by playing. I loved delving into other types of music such as Brazilian, a bit of jazz, a bit of tango. Thanks, María, for introducing me to your world and for letting me be myself, without restraint.
After the concert, I went back to Madrid to concentrate on one of the most important of my recent projects — the recording of my first solo album, for the Columna Música label and part of the Juventudes Musicales Collection. I was lucky to be able to choose the repertoire myself, and Schumann was my choice. I’ve had a soft spot for him ever since I was young. I like the two sides of his character — on the one hand he is idealistic; a dreamer; nostalgic; intimate and delicate and on the other he is passionate; irrational; tormented and temperamental — his brutal switches from one to the other and the way he goes from man’s deepest miseries to the purest of metaphysics. The album will feature Papillons op.2, Allegro op.8, Fantasiestücke op.12 and Arabesque op.18.
I let myself be fully advised by the great sound engineer who handled the recording, José Miguel Martínez, and we went to the auditorium of San Fernando College to perform. The place is on the outskirts of Madrid, it’s quiet, has great acoustics and we felt at home from day one. Here I have to give a huge THANKS to Hazen for putting the best piano in my life at my disposal. A few weeks before, Radu Lupu came to the National Auditorium (someone beyond words — I’ll never forget his second movement of Schubert’s 960 Sonata), and when he started playing the piano, and I thought: I want it! So I was very lucky to have a Steinway with the most crystalline treble, rounded bass and the most cantabile central register I have ever played.
My friends told me to be patient, that recordings were sometimes tiresome; the takes, selecting them, the repeats, the lack of adrenaline that you get with performing live, etc. But the truth is, there was such a good atmosphere with the technician, José Miguel, and the artistic director, Jordi Abelló, that I felt very comfortable and confident. I want to thank them for investing all their energy and goodwill in me. And the tuner too, Luis Felipe, who made sure the piano was always at its best. The recording went very smoothly, sometimes I only had to do one or two takes and, all in all, I have good feelings and good memories of those few days. They’re now in the process of editing and mastering the recordings — I can’t wait to hear the final result! The album will be released between September and October and be distributed by Diverdi. There will be a presentation in Barcelona and Madrid in November and you’re all invited!
After my few days of Schumann I got the chance to enjoy a mini-break, which I spent going for long walks in Madrid, a city I love more and more each day. One day was invited to the film premiere of ‘La vida empieza hoy’ (Life Begins Today), by Laura Mañá, which I highly recommend. It was hilarious, yet very intimate, with veteran stars such as Pilar Bardem, who is very endearing in her role. I also went to see The Blind Side, which won Sandra Bullock an Oscar. That’s not to be missed either! It’s a true story, and I’m sure you’ll leave the cinema with a desire to live life and to help those in need.
Now it’s time for me to go get back to studying and planning programmes, with my next date just around the corner: I will be in Robles the last weekend of July to attend a small, intimate festival organised by the great Spanish pianist Rosa Torres Pardo. These will be two days of music and fun in a beautiful remote little town in Castilla y León. I’ll let you know how it goes! But until then, enjoy the sun!
Absolutely beautiful. Well done
Comment by Robin Haq — July 5, 2010