Saturday, March 17, 2007

Sweet Handshake Prelude

It is always nice to see the hands of a pianist while playing on the piano. Listening to a piano recital should also include, whenever possible, watching the pianist's hands. Feeling music through these two senses is an enchanting experience.
A third sense is only used by the pianist self through touch. One I've actually experienced as a prelude to Chopin's second concerto for piano on the person of Boris Berezovsky. Amazingly moving pianist I've discovered in a recital at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels more than a year ago. Since that unforgettable concert, I've learned to know more about his repertoire and tried to follow his live performances as much as I could. Until I've experienced the most sweetest feelings of all, finding my hand for a few seconds in this gigantic pianist's hand. This was the softest handshake I've ever felt. A prelude to the rehearsal Mr Berezovsky was going to have with the National Orchestra of Belgium. How could so much strength come out of such sweet and soft hands remains a magical duality. And my whole senses to shake before, during and after the concerto, even in rehearsal, and at his concert on Sunday 18 March at the Centre for Fine Arts in Brussels.

1 comment:

Erinc Salor said...

It was within a trio formation that I first encountered him and his ability to fly through passages of Rachmaninoff's 'trio élégiaque' with both an unbelievable strength and grace seemed paralyzing. Listening to the piece from him still hits me like a thunderbolt, every single time. Meeting such men being a nearly daily routine of one's job is surely a great luck. Unlike meeting pop stars and all the artificial life forms likewise, such people like Mr.Berezovsky and Herr Herzog, as you could testify, radiate something truly magical about them, true elevation, true grace, grace emanating from a human being who is in love with his craft and mastered it to such a degree that she/he could touch other people's souls, truly I mean. This is the only thing that makes our otherwise parasitic species worthy of any value whatsoever...And as a personal note, being with a person who can feel that true elevation in her is, honestly, the greatest source of joy in my life. fly on love, fly on..