I went to La Fo Le Journée au Japon (Day of Passion), an annual Golden Week event held at the Yurakucho International Forum since 2005. This year's theme was "Paris, Moment of Bliss," and the program focused on French composers like Debussy, Ravel, and Saint-Saëns.
I bought tickets for two performances, but my main focus was Ravel's "Piano Concerto" and "Gaspard de la Nuit." I was dying to hear them live.
The "Piano Concerto" is a light, circus-like piece. It incorporates melodies from the Basque region of Spain, where Ravel originated, jazz idioms, and classical qualities reminiscent of Mozart. It begins with a whip swing, features a gong, and the third movement features a melody that became the source material for the Godzilla soundtrack. It's simply a joyous piece. The International Forum is not a classical music hall, so the acoustics are somewhat poor, which is a shame. However, the soloist, Bertrand Chamayu, delivered a light and gentle performance befitting his French background. Gaspard was performed by Russian Boris Berezovsky. The evening began at 8:30 PM. This piece, a technically challenging piece that ranks among the top three of all piano pieces, is inspired by Bertrand's collection of poems of the same name. It is a musical tale consisting of three parts: "Ondine," "The Gallows," and "Scarbo." Its gothic flavor is both classical and romantic. It is arguably a masterpiece of 20th-century piano music. Berezovsky has previously recorded this piece, and his performance is perhaps the fastest of any pianist. He delivered the same speed live, as expected. His touch is the polar opposite of Chamayu's. As the name suggests, Ondine depicts the right hand painting ripples of water with the smallest chords. The left hand carries the theme amid an accompaniment that blends together with aftertouch and pedal. Great care is taken to balance the sound, but Berezovsky played with ease. The dynamics are well-executed.
In contrast to the Ondine, the final piece, Scarbo, requires acrobatic playing, but he plays it dryly with less pedal use. It's incredibly fast. The piece progresses smoothly. At the climax, Scarbo screams at full volume, and the agogic leading up to it is macho. Scarbo, the little devil's mischief, is played with masterful fingerwork.
Fast isn't necessarily good, but fast is fun. While Ravel should be played in tempo, Gaspard has many parts that are romantically left to the player's discretion.
By the way, my favorite recording of the suite is:
1. Pogorelich (DG)
Just brilliant. The performance is slow, but the technique is abundant. It beautifully portrays the gothic horror and grotesque nature of the piece. I heard him perform live a few years ago, and he has changed a lot. 2. François (EMI 1967 recording) He may be a little stale in his later years, but he exudes a natural wit. The atmosphere is like a rose just before it falls into decay. His unique aesthetic sense is irresistible in his performances of Chopin and Ravel. As for Ondine, I'd say Michelangeli and Ogdon. Michelangeli is flawless. He delivers a flawless performance by a perfectionist. His clarity is almost frightening. It's flawless. It doesn't matter which recording you listen to; the performance is just as amazing. It all depends on the quality of the recording. Ogdon's performance is live in Moscow. It's available on YouTube, so I recommend it. Hear a masterful performance after recovering from mental illness.