Severance
Hall
March
6, 7 & 8
Buchbinder studies scores like they're suspense thrillers. |
Even
among top-tier classical pianists, Rudolf Buchbinder cuts a
distinctive figure.
Long
ago the Viennese virtuoso established himself as one of the world’s
foremost interpreters of Beethoven, not only because of his superb
playing skills, but because he is a scholar who has devoted
considerable time to collecting and studying original manuscripts and
autograph scores. His studies inform his performances, which are
noted for their masterful technique, enthusiasm and generosity of
spirit.
At
the age of 67, Buchbinder is in demand all over the world. In January
he performed in Tokyo, Berlin and London, and later this month will
be traveling to Istanbul, Hamburg and Milan. In between he is making
a stop at Severance Hall to play with the Cleveland Orchestra for the
first time in 15 years. Cleveland audiences will not be hearing
Beethoven, however. Buchbinder will be playing one of his favorite
works, Rachmaninoff’s Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.
Last
week the pianist took time out of his busy schedule to talk about the
piece from his home in Vienna.
Whose
idea was it to have you play Rachmaninoff?
Franz
Welser-Möst
asked me to play it with him, and I’m delighted. In my opinion,
there are three great variation compositions: Bach’s Goldberg
Variations, the Diabelli
Variations of Beethoven
and Rachmaninoff’s Paganini
Rhapsody, which is a
great, great piece.
How
long have you been playing it?
I
started on this piece at the age of 14. My teacher said to me, Rudy,
my little boy, now you will learn a very great and big, fantastic
concerto. I was very excited, of course. But then he said, it’s
Rachmaninoff’s Paganini
variations. And
I was so upset, because
I didn’t know the piece at all! I thought he would give me like a
Beethoven or Brahms concerto. But the Rachmaninoff was one of his
favorite pieces, and since that time, it’s also one of mine.
Rachmaninoff
had unusually large hands. Is that what makes his pieces so hard to
play?
No,
I don’t think you need large hands for piano playing, not even
Rachmaninoff. With someone like Brahms, he had his own chords and way
of playing, and you have to get used to it. But what Rachmaninoff
wrote is very pianistic, in the same way that Franz Liszt composed
for pianists. Rachmaninoff also wrote for us.
How
do you approach the Paganini Rhapsody?
I
try to play it as a big, classic concerto. I don’t care what it’s
called, it’s a concerto. And by the way, very difficult to play,
lousy difficult.
How
long did it take before you felt you had mastered the piece?
Through
my whole life, I’ve always tried to study pieces slowly. They
should grow in my body, and into my body. Then I can live the piece.
So
when you take on a work like the Paganini Rhapsody,
it’s a lifelong project?
Absolutely.
And every time I return to it, I discover something new.
Is
that partly because of the research you do, studying original scores
and manuscripts?
Yes,
it’s fascinating. I read them like a crime novel, like Agatha
Christie. Also very important for me, and I tell all my students
this: Before you play a composition by someone, read a book about
this person. Learn the history of his time, and become familiar with
his life, his family, his loves, his women – everything. Learn a
sense of place. Then you can start to study the piece.
Have
you performed with Maestro Welser-Möst
very much?
Several
times, but never this piece. It will be a premiere, the first time we
are doing it. So we’ll see how we fight together.
You
two share a strong Viennese musical background.
I
always say, there’s no place for any compromise in music. Either
you fit together, or you shouldn’t play together. If you don’t
see the music the same way, it makes no sense. With this concerto, I
am looking forward very much to working with him. I’m sure it will
be like huge chamber music when we play together.
What
are your impressions of the Cleveland Orchestra?
I
know it very well, and to me, it’s one of the greatest orchestras.
What I love about this orchestra is its perfection, and at the same
time the musicianship. You don’t find both in high quality very
often.
Do
you find much difference between playing with orchestras in Europe
and America?
Not
any more. The music is so international today – which in some ways
is a bit sad, because orchestras are losing more and more of their
own personal sound. Of course, Europe has some fantastic orchestras.
But as I say, in its combination of perfection and musicianship,
Cleveland is for me one of the greatest orchestras.
What
do you hope that audiences in Cleveland will get from your
performance?
I
want to bring my personal interpretation of the Paganini
Rhapsody. I hope that
people in Cleveland will say, I never heard this piece like that! I
want it to be really fresh.
For
more on Rudolf Buchbinder: http://www.buchbinder.net
Photo by Basta
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