Pogorelich in Israel

[clara.schumann]

a week ago I was at a recital of the renowned pianist Ivo Pogorelich in Tel Aviv, Israel. He was "playing" chopin's nocturne in e flat major, 3rd sonata, liszt's mephisto waltz in the first part, and Ravel's Gaspard in the second.

This was just horrible... half of the audience left the concert after the first part, because there was just nothing to hear in his playing.... everything was played pianissisimo, very slowly (just for the record the first part took 1.5 hour. mephisto was about 30 minutes long)... it was not even an interpriation, it was absurd.

What's going on with him?!?

[birba]

I think he uses musical gimmicks for effect.  I heard him many years ago at carnegie hall and wasn't really too impressed, except for his leather jacket.  But now, from what you recount, it sounds like he's really gone overboard.

[vviola]

I personally like his thirty-minute interpretation of Liszt's Mephisto Waltz.