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Crescendo Ignace "Iggy" Jang |
Piano concerto
showcases
‘Classical Idol’Before there was "American Idol," there was the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition.
I'm serious. The thrill of victory, the cheering fans, the harsh rejection -- classical music has all the highs and lows of brutal competition. Simon Cowell won't destroy our egos, but Paula Abdul isn't there to reassure us, either. And, if you think the Van Cliburn Competition isn't on TV, think again. It was broadcast way before reality shows hit the tube.
Piano master
Featuring Van Cliburn award winner Stanislav Ioudenitch and guest conductor Scott Yoo:In concert: 8 p.m. Friday and 4 p.m. Sunday
Place: Blaisdell Concert Hall
Tickets: $16, $28, $33, $44 or $59 each
Call: 792-2000 or Ticketmaster at 877-750-4400
Students and young professionals from all over the world audition for a coveted place in this competition. The Van Cliburn talent pool represents the cream of the crop of piano's future stars. It's the only major competition of its kind, and it takes place every four years. Think of it as the pianist's Olympics.
For this reason alone you should rush to hear Van Cliburn's latest gold medalist, Stanislav Ioudenitch, who performs with us this weekend. The Uzbekistan-born pianist will make his Hawaii debut, performing Saint-Saëns' Piano Concerto No. 2.
Judging from his résumé, Ioudenitch seems to have been spared the pain of rejection, only experiencing the euphoria of winning. It seems like everything he's entered he's won, displaying flawless technique, individuality and panache. And as Ruben Studdard could probably tell you, these are often the qualities required to win competitions.
IF YOU CAN'T picture a classical music contest, think of world championship ice skating. (This isn't a reflection of my preference; I'm a football fan.) Each performance is judged on technical and artistic merit by a jury comprising up to 13 international judges.
Tremendous physical stamina is required to make it through three rounds, along with nerves of steel to withstand the pressure. In spite of rivalries, courtesy is essential, and chances are you'll become friends with fellow competitors. I don't recall any Nancy Kerrigan-Tonya Harding-type incidents at piano competitions, but you never know what might happen.
The Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto is a favorite of piano players because it showcases great technique and bravura. It has a dramatic introduction with the pianist on his own, like destiny rushing forward. The opening will leave you spellbound for the duration of the work. One of the interesting things about it is that it veers from the fast-slow-fast format of a traditional concerto. The three movements in this case are set up as slow, fast and faster, and even the slow movement bears the flourish of running notes.
Saint-Saëns was a French composer who lived at the turn of the last century. To this day, most musicians are not sure about the pronunciation of his last name. Should the final "s" be heard? I grew up in France and still don't know. Either way, you're guaranteed to fall in love with his music.
Maestro Scott Yoo will be our guest conductor, making his debut here and leading the orchestra with Schubert's famous Ninth Symphony in C Major, known as "The Great." Why the nickname? A number of different explanations exist. One goes that musicians started calling the Ninth "The Great" when it was discovered that Schubert wrote another Symphony in C Major that was shorter in length.
A more fascinating version refers to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony (the one with the "Ode to Joy" song). Subsequent composers (those who lived long enough to write their own Ninth) felt a tremendous burden to match Beethoven's brilliance. With "The Great," Schubert reached new heights in creativity and dimension. It's like listening to the last vestige of the Classical era while looking forward to Romanticism.
Simply stated, some of the tunes may sound a little like Beethoven, but Schubert's Great Symphony points to a new direction. Wind instruments play a prominent role, and violins are no longer the sole possessors of melodies. In fact, it's more than just the melodies; the relentless energy is intensely striking. Schubert selects simple rhythmic motives and develops them to create boundless vitality throughout this work. Imagine working with eggs and cream and creating a splendid soufflé. Schubert's Great Symphony rises to maximum heights without ever losing its breath.
I hope to see you in the audience this weekend as we welcome a "Classical Music Idol" and experience the artistry of one of the world's greatest gold medalists, Stanislav Ioudenitch. As a bonus, the first reader to e-mail me the correct answer to the following question will receive two tickets to Friday's concert: Who was Paul Dietrich? Send answers to suggestions@honolulusymphony.com.
Ignace "Iggy" Jang is the Honolulu Symphony's concertmaster. His column will appear on the Monday prior to each concert of the season to illuminate works to be performed. E-mail comments and questions to Jang at suggestions@honolulusymphony.com
