helene grimaud - just a pretty face?

[stevie]

hsahahaha randomly NO

yep, im a fan of her playing, her beethoven 4th was good, as was her random op110

but just now i watched her bach-busoni chaconne, a work i love, and she just blew me away.
really awesome playing, and really powerful sound, even though her hands appear to be very small, this limits her in the climax section...but still, a wikid perf.

zlitely

[arensky]

NO

Datz rite... . She is an extraordinary talent, and one who defies traditional stereotypes, not just about being a female pianist but about being a French female pianist. I discovered her playing recently when I was looking for a recording of Beethoven's "Tempest" Sonata in the iTunes music store. I was looking for Gould, they don't have him; the three that came up were Grimaud, Brendel and Pollini. I went with Helene because I don't care for the other two very much. I was  (and still am) astonished at her interpretation, it's powerful, dramatic, deeply felt, and her playing is LASER CLEAN, without sacrificing any or the aforementioned musicality. She is without a doubt one of the best pianists of her generation, particularly in Beethoven. I soon bought the rest of the "Credo" album, and will buy more of her recs in the future.

You are right about her hands, I had not considered this; they are quite small, but the fingers are very long...

I like her better as a blonde... 

Ok I will stop it now yes I have a raging crush on her like I did on Martha Argerich when I was a teenager . I love it when beautiful women REALLY play the piano .

Google her image, she is constantly reinventing herself, she never looks the same from year to year! Interesting. Also interesting are her pets, she raises wolves... read the first link below; the second one is a review of her and her playing in general, by a writer who was also expecting "just another pretty face" 



https://www.giles.com/yamaha1/pressreleases/Piano/grimaud.htm

https://culturespace.typepad.com/index/music_commentary/ 

[pianistimo]

raises wolves, too?  wow.  they ARE beautiful.  what do the neighbors say when they start howling at the moon?  i wonder if they howl when she practices?  no matter.  she is really good and it's great she is an animal lover, too.

[brewtality]

I've only got her early recordings made in her teens and 20s. They are good, if unspectacular. Apparently her style (playing not hair) has changed quite a bit since but I haven't heard any of her recent cds. She is very beautiful, too bad she has never performed in my country. Incidentally, for those who think she is only famous because of looks, it is interesting to note that Bolet was largely responsible for launching her career. I don't think he did it because he fancied her. 

[zheer]

I will be honest, walking around a number of music shops i fail to spot a single CD by her, i have only heard her once and that was on a CD which came with a magazine, it was a rather boring interpretation of Beethoven, really nothing special,something you expect from an international piano competition , however one should not judge an artist on one performance.
   As far as her looks go, she looks better with longer hair, but rather yucky with short hair. Infact she is one of those that look better as they grow older.

[leahcim]

Infact she is one of those that look better as they grow older.

Better lighting, better makeup, improved photoshop filters and so on?

She's a pretty girl. But yeah, she's a prettier girl within the PR machine of a record / piano company

[gruffalo]

yea the getting older and better looking is what i thought too. but its not this that attracts my attention (yea right), her recording of the Chopin Ballade No.1 is my favourite one. its so crisp and clear. she is definitely a great talent. havent heard her Beethoven though.

[gruffalo]

Finally someone actually loves the Yamaha pianos, i forgot to mention. since playing on a yamaha in a competition they are now my favourite pianos. funny how she practices on an old upright yamaha.

[leahcim]

Finally someone actually loves the Yamaha pianos.

Yeah, judging from the "yamaha press releases" site, it's Yamaha

[quantum]

I passed by my local library and randomly picked up her Credo CD for somthing to listen to.  WOW, I love it!  Very unusual programming for a CD. 

[fredo2]

where did you get to see her playing bach busoni ?
i didnt find any recordings of that piece by her would love to listen to one though

[stevie]

downloaded the video off e-mule

[brewtality]

I shall have to seek out this vid, even if emule is slow as ***.

[cherub_rocker1979]

emule is slow as ***.

True.

[tds]

hsahahaha...

that sounds jewish.....

[gruffalo]

I shall have to seek out this vid, even if emule is slow as ***.

emule is way to slow. i use eDonkey. people say it has spyware but it doesnt. i have spyware protection on my PC, and i know when i pickup spyware, and i dont get it from eDonkey.

[pianalex]

climaxes are great, small hands notwithstanding..........