wild harmonies

[pianistimo]

i have a gained even more appreciation for helene grimaud's life and talents.  she has written a book about her life, her approach to music, and her love for wolves - and it's available at barnes and noble (and other bookstores probably) as 'wild harmonies.'  it was so good - i basically read the entire thing in a sitting.  very interesting.  and she is a very good writer.

also, i take back what i said about her playing the rach 2 because it has such special meaning for her.  i think one should always play what has meaning.  she is not so interested in saint-saens - and so i don't think the best playing comes from music that one doesn't feel inspired as much by.  she explained why she loved rachmaninov.

i think helene is very down to earth and very unusual.  she has my highest respect and regard.  also, i don't think anyone should fairly be compared to anyone let alone a teacher (whom i guess argerich was her teacher for a while).  she has certainly made her own way - in her own time and her own style.  i think this is great and it makes me realize that everyone is sooo unique.  you can't really compare apples and oranges - which is what one does when any two pianists are compared.

[pianowolfi]

I have just bought that book too. "Wild harmonies" is such a better title, in German it says "Lessons of life". I read just a few sentences so far, it's pretty intense, I think, so I consume it in small morsels

[thalberg]

Fascinating!  Thanks for letting me know of it.  I'll check into it.

[pianowolfi]

I see I have only another book of her, which is pretty new and not identical with "Wild harmonies" So I have to correct myself, I haven't got "Wild harmonies" yet The French original title of the book I have is "Leçons particulières"

[goldentone]

It sounds really good.  I want to get it too. 
Thanks Pianistimo.