I last performed classical piano in public in 1965. Since that time I’ve learned blues and the accordion. Preparing this showcase has been a treat, particularly finding the joy and discipline to work on challenging classical pieces.
It’s been almost hypnotic to practice the Bach. The music continues to turn, move, and manages to be both abstract and highly emotive. It’s also a tremendous challenge. Because Bach did not compose extraneous notes, each note needs to be in focus, yet completely in service to the direction and movement of the work. This piece was not written for the harpsichord. It needs to use the entire depth of tone and dynamic of the piano(forte.) I hear this music as deep dark brown, like hands sifting through rich loamy soil.
The Mozart Fantasie is kind of a big piece, but also kind of a hoot. Its style is highly operatic. You can almost hear the baritone and soprano answer each other. In contrast to Bach, Mozart masters the pause, the empty space, the hold. They need to be respected. The challenge with this piece is to keep the whole together leaving the listener with a single impression of the whole piece.
The Debussy Arabesque is ultimately impressionist. I can feel the water moving in the arpeggios. When the piece switches to A major, the first five rhythmically dissonant 3 against 2 notes are as close to saccharine as you could get while still staying on the right side of the expressive/saccharine divide. I like to dig into most music, so the light touch is a challenge for me.
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