NMOR Gabriela Montero improvises on "Now thank we all our God"

[49410enrique]

Gabriela Montero composes and plays in real time in front of a LIVE audience at the Gewandhaus, Leipzig, September 10th 2012. As a theme, an audience member had suggested a church hymn Gabriela does not know, "Now thank we all our God" (Nun danket alle Gott).

so just wanted to share a sweet performance of a 'classical' artist improvising on the spot. loved this especially since she was not familiar with the piece.

another

"improvises on her homeland, alluding musically to the sadness exprienced by many in an extreme climate of murder and corruption."

[ted]

Thanks for posting this. She's certainly one to keep an eye on. Very smooth, very accomplished. I liked the first section of the first piece best; it contained some very attractive changes. I don't know the tune at all, or whether the harmonies are traditional or her own, but one or two places and phrases are effective indeed.

[Derek]

I think it'd be neat if this sort of thing became much more common in the classical world. I'd probably be more interested in following it in general again, it'd seem less like an army of robots marching off of an assembly line and more like, well, hate to say it, musicians.

[pankrpec]

Well, thankfully I am completely oblivious to the classical world. I know next to no performers and only a handful of authors.
I discover something new and joyful all the time, these improvsations certainly being one of those things.
But even I have already noticed some of the mechanical players out there, and much to my surprise, they are quite admired and revered. People can be so strange sometimes.

[goldentone]

But even I have already noticed some of the mechanical players out there, and much to my surprise, they are quite admired and revered. People can be so strange sometimes.

Yes, this is the problem of our time.  Sanitized, lifeless playing that the establishment fosters.  I do like Montero, and her improvisation is a breath of fresh air.

[ahinton]

Thanks for posting this. She's certainly one to keep an eye on. Very smooth, very accomplished. I liked the first section of the first piece best; it contained some very attractive changes. I don't know the tune at all, or whether the harmonies are traditional or her own, but one or two places and phrases are effective indeed.

OK, so it's all abit Lisztmaninov but by no means the worse for that - and it has a wonderful spontaneity and imagination and a far from indecent sense of structure across the whole; if only more pianists would essay this kind of thing, in public! Liszt would not have thought twice about applying his two magnificent hands to this kind of exercise, so why should any contemporary pianist shrink from doing so? Congratulations to Ms Montera!

Best,

Alistair