Interview with composer Michael Hersch

[vlhorowitz]

Hi, Everyone,

Hope you've all had a wonderful weekend. Our latest interview is with composer Michael Hersch, who is head of Composition at the Peabody Institute. Critic Tim Page calls him "a natural musical genius", and the New York Philharmonic has commissioned him for its Biennial later this year. Of interest, he studied with John Corigliano and George Rochberg, and both admired his tremendous talent. Here, he offers a composer's perspective on Liszt, comments on female conductors, and talks of his process.

As always, thank you all for reading

https://www.examiner.com/article/interview-with-composer-michael-hersch

[j_menz]

Interesting. It seems, though, that he doesn't publish his compositions other than as recorded performances (either by him or a selected performer and/or group/orchestra).

He has written a number of solo piano works, but I'd be more interested in him if I could play them rather than just listen to them.

(I'd be very happy to be pointed in the direction of proof my assumption is incorrect, btw)

[faulty_damper]

EH: Many great composers of the past advocated the study of various art forms outside of music to help with the music-making. How does it all help with the understanding and perhaps creation of musical art ?

Hersch: Usually the more information one has, the better. The visual and literary arts are of perennial interest to me, and these other art forms have become more and more a part of my life; they have become companions of sorts. I cannot imagine my day to day experiences without the presence of these other art forms. They’re absolutely essential.

I, too, believe that study of art outside of classical music yields far greater understanding of classical music. As well, it greatly informs the errors of past and current teachings (e.g. rubato, interpretation, emotion, communication).  Further, musical principles are actually the same across these other art forms and can be used to describe paintings, dance, sculpture (e.g. form, structure, rhythm, dynamics.)

[vlhorowitz]

Thank you all for reading (and commenting)

It's perhaps worth noting that Hersch came to the piano at the age of nineteen...