Louis Lortie . . . and Fazioli

[cmg]

Lortie's recital 3/24/07 at Carnegie Hall was a rare event.  Amazingly, he opened with Liszt/Wagner "Overture to Tannhauser."  I've never heard this performed live before and I think it may be among the very greatest of Liszt transcriptions.  Lortie was in incredible form, coaxing every orchestral resource imaginable out of the Fazioli concert grand.  Within the first 15 minutes, he brought the house down!

Next, came Thomas Ades' "Darknesse Visible."  First hearing for me of this piece frrom 1991 and it bears many repeated listenings.  Very fine and based on Dowland's lute song "In Darkness Let Mee Dwell."  Very diffuse use of Dowland's tune, spread out over every range and dynamic.  Consonance arises here and there without any strict sense of a tonal framework.

Before intermission, Lortie tackled "Vallee d'Obermann."  Fantastic beginning but a regrettable rail-jumping before the coda.  Struck me as being caused by a serious memory slip.  He was NOT pleased.

Second half was Ades again.  "Traced Overhead" that explored the tonal resources of the piano in three movemnts.  The final mvt. very Chopinesque, which was the perfect lead-in to The Chopin B Major Nocturne (62/1) and the B minor Sonata.  The most aristocratic, soulful Chopin playing I've heard in years.  No grandstanding.  Totally sung throughout, impeccable control.  Two encores:  Liszt/Wagner "Abendstern" and "Un Sospiro."  Totally redeemed himself for the d'Obermann crash and burn on these babies.

And that Fazioli concert grand?  First one I've heard that had a truly terrific pianist at the helm.  I don't think I've heard a more glorious sound (and, yes, I've heard a million great Steinways, etc.)  Clarity in registers was just astounding.  Like hearing Tebaldi or Sutherland sing in their prime.

Anyone ever shopped at Klavierhaus in NYC to check out the Faziolis? What's the service like?  I contacted Jim Luce there who invited me in ( to play . . . and buy!).  Donations for my purchase can be made through any PayPal account.  Don't be shy! 

[henrah]

Was it the 308, the biggest of the Fazioli's? I've never played or heard and remembered (my dad used to have one) a 308. But we have a 208 so I can make an educational guess on the glorious sound. It really has such a huge range and variety of tones. Fazioli's rule


It sounds like it was a great concert! Do you think the Fazioli was at Lortie's request? I've always thought that Carnegie Hall was a purely Steinway piano hall.


You should visit the factory/HQ in Italy, I've heard great things about it. It's one my list of places to visit
Henrah


P.S. Great to find another Fazioli enthusiast!

[tompilk]

louie lortie is an amazing pianist. he is one of the few that has a good website with videos of him performing.
Tom

[henrah]

His method of connecting the Chopin etudes is amazing. He's such a knowledgeable pianist! I definately want to see him in concert


EDIT: Just noticed that he has a Fazioli at his home (if that's where his vids are recorded), so it seems that he's an advocate of the make.