Just came back from Hamelin concert

[liszt1022]

...and it rocked.

He played:

Schubert - Sonata in A major, D. 664
Vladigerov - Sonatina Concertante, Op. 28
Wagner/Liszt - Isolde's Liebestod
Verdi/Liszt - Ernani paraphrase
Bellini/Liszt - Reminiscenses de Norma
(encore - Debussy prelude, forgot the name)

After Ernani, he sat back down on the bench and asked the audience what piece came next. It was pretty funny, but the playing was seriously incredible. His wrists are made of rubber and he dashes off Liszt's octave runs like nothing. The only comparable octave technique I've witnessed was Stephen Hough playing Liszt's "Orage." Hamelin has a fantastic voice-balancing touch and can make many layers of sound. It was all great.


I met up with him after the concert in the lobby and we talked about music stuff (nothing too deep though.) He signed my book of the complete Godowsky studies and I asked to shake his left hand. He obliged, then later after I got a picture with him we shook right hands. So my hands feel special now.

[quantum]

So you actually got to talk to him afterwards.  Sweet. 

Did they have a lineup for autographs or did he mingle with the crowd?

[liszt1022]

So you actually got to talk to him afterwards.  Sweet. 

Did they have a lineup for autographs or did he mingle with the crowd?

He was signing autographs and chatting with people but only maybe 5 or 6 people took advantage of that. The crowd was a bunch of old people but hey, it means I got to talk to him longer.

[mwarner1]

I attended a similar concert last year at Ravinia.

First half:

Vladigerov -- Sonatina Concertante, Op. 28
Chopin/Godowsky -- 9 Etudes

Second half:

Wagner/Liszt -- Isolde's Liebestod
Verdi/Liszt -- Ernani
Bellini/Liszt -- Norma

Encore:

(I'm not sure, but I found a website that listed the following pieces, and they sound right to me)

Scriabin -- Etude Op. 2, No. 1
Chopin/Liszt -- "My Joys" or "My Darling" depending on the translation, I think (S. 480, No. 5)
Antheil -- Jazz Sonata (just an excerpt maybe? whatever it was, it was fun!)

I concur: his octaves in the Liszt were outrageous. And let me just say, seeing this guy perform some of those left-hand etudes... miraculous!

[moose_opus_28]

Wow, I wish I would have seen the Godowsky!

I saw him play in February...a Bach Frech Suite, Brahms 119, something by Liszt I didn't like, and that Schubert Sonata.  He was totally detached from the Liszt, acting like he didn't care.  The Bach was gorgeous, as was the Brahms....but the Schubert.  It was amazing.  He had like 15 levels of ppp.  I'm dead serious.  It one of the best performances I've ever seen.