THE W RLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS 1 2019
Life-changing Anna Vinnitskaya experience
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STEINWAY & SONS The World of Piano Competition Competition WorldThe of Piano bene people many as allow to strive of We should edition all For this that, possible. itt from as of joy listeners. for and players source agreat be can and incomparable is live, especially music, Piano more The similarly. act to others inspired this if glad be Iwould audiences. more emotionalizing and concerts more Together stronger, gaining we are festivals. and venues of competitions, cooperation the on focusing activity own our Network we have established Concerts Prize-winner Steinway the With etc. Levit and Yuja Fliter Wang Lang, Lang and Zimerman, and Uchida Pollini, and of Argerich names so. done always The has Steinway emerging. in them assist yet and not known who are for those supportive be to we want Here platforms. good are –competitions For –not only, that ofaudience? course an and concerts But how do you recognition, get everywhere. and daily up rise Talents options and the build always to aim our reach to improve we could what ful us tell and instruments wishes l players’ our whether us teach better can else Who pianists. with exchange direct in and terms speaking on be to for us It essential is Artists. Steinway became number of whom agreat pianists with contact close in been we have days, early the Since artistry. in but also craftsmanship in not only tradition in believes Steinway Our of the beginner. stages the to legend concert the on is eld celebrated the from important, player as We every regard instruments. our we build It that for is them pianists. need Pianos pianos. need Pianists world as well as in music schools and private homes – anywhere piano music is cherished. cherished. is music piano –anywhere homes private and schools music in as world well as I wish everyone much joy reading it and, later on, attending aconcert! attending on, later it and, joy much reading everyone I wish best piano possible and to meet the highest expectations? highest the meet to and possible piano best is an excellent form of encouragement. I hope its message spreads widely! widely! spreads message its Ihope of encouragement. form excellent an is PRESIDENT STEINWAY & SONSEUROPE WELCOME such projects exist, the better! better! the exist, projects such GUIDO ZIMMERMANN Dear readers, readers, Dear are evidence of this. evidence are THE WORLD OFPIANOCOMPETITIONS 1/19 17.11.18 21:59 3 THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS
THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS is published twice a year by PIANIST, as a part of the regular edition, and also worldwide as a separate magazine.
PIANIST (regular edition) is published four times a year in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and Belgium. www.pianist-magazin.de www.pianistmagazine.nl
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Contributing Editors 12 GERRIT GLANER: NETWORK Gustav Alink (Alink-Argerich Foundation) Stuart Isacoff, Patrick Jovell (Piano Street), Mario-Felix Vogt, KaJeng Wong
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Copyright 2019 No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher.
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WPC01_P004-P005_Content.indd 4 17.11.18 22:32 THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS Contents THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS is published twice a year by PIANIST, as a part of the regular edition, and also worldwide as a separate magazine. Gustav Alink reports PIANIST (regular edition) is published four times a year in 8 Edvard Grieg in Bergen Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxemburg, Liechtenstein, the Netherlands and Belgium. 24 Concours de Genève www.pianist-magazin.de 30 Chopin on Period Instruments, Warsaw www.pianistmagazine.nl 32 Bechstein Jazz, Berlin (report by Mario-Felix Vogt) Online access 34 For Young Pianists, Ettlingen www.pianostreet.com Interviews Publisher Forte Media / PIANIST 10 An organisor’s view: Franz-Xaver Ohnesorg Heistraat 16a A teacher’s view: Barbara Szczepanska 5691 CA Son en Breugel 11 The Netherlands 15 A director’s view: Rob Hilberink
Henk Brüger, Sr. 19 A jurors view: Leslie Howard (Founder / owner PIANIST) 27 YAROSLAV BYKH: 27 One to watch: Yaroslav Bykh E-mail: [email protected] RISING STAR 8 FROM THE IDYLLIC HOME OF EDVARD GRIEG In Profi le Editor-in-Chief Eric Schoones 7 Queen Elisabeth Competition, Brussels E-mail: [email protected] 32 International German Piano Award, Frankfurt Contributing Editors 12 GERRIT GLANER: NETWORK 33 Merci Maestro, Brussels Gustav Alink (Alink-Argerich Foundation) 37 Piano Val de Travers Stuart Isacoff, Patrick Jovell (Piano Street), Mario-Felix Vogt, KaJeng Wong 20 ANNA VINNITSKAYA: 37 Euregio Piano Award, Geilenkirchen 39 International Telekom Beethoven Competition, Bonn Language Editor LOOKING BACK ON HER VICTORY Steven Ralston 42 Mozarteum University Salzburg 42 Piano Lovers over 40, Milan Design Kerstin Papert Andreas Rupprecht 6 Partners Cover Photography 12 A Historic moment: Van Cliburn Gela Megrelidze 16 Competitions online
Advertising 20 After the competition: Anna Vinnitskaya & Seong-Jin Cho Forte Media 23 Column: KaJeng Wong E-mail: [email protected] 29 Steinway Prize Winner Concerts Network Subscription Enquiries 40 Innovation: Maene Straight Strung Pianos PO Box 1392 5602 BJ Eindhoven / The Netherlands Mirjam Schoenmakers Phone: +31 (0)85 - 76 00 237 E-mail: [email protected]
Subscriptions can be arranged from any given date Stay updated! and must be cancelled in writing two months prior to the expiration date. For upcoming application deadlines etc. check: Copyright 2019 Alink-Argerich Foundation No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including www.alink-argerich.org photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher. orte media
THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS 1/19 5
WPC01_P004-P005_Content.indd 4 17.11.18 22:32 WPC01_P004-P005_Content.indd 5 17.11.18 22:33 PARTNERS
WORLD FEDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITIONS The World Federation of International Music Competitions is dedicated to establishing a global network of internationally recognised organisations that discover the most prom- ising young talents through public competition in the great tradition of classical music and further their careers by presenting them before distinguished juries, general audiences, the media, and the rest of the music community. The WFIMC is a Member of the Inter- national Music Council and some 122 of the world’s leading music competitions belong to the Federation. A number of important international music organisations are asso- ciate members of the WFIMC. wfi mc-fmcim.org
EUROPEAN UNION OF MUSIC COMPETITONS FOR YOUTH EMCY is a network of national and international music competitions for young people across Europe. We believe that music competitions stimulate passionate musicianship. For many, they’re a rst glimpse of performing in public, playing in ensembles, or of breaking out of orthodox repertoire. They foster a sense of healthy self-assessment, can help conquer nerves, and motivate practise. Young people can be inspired by experienc- ing fresh interpretations and discovering new works and other European cultures. We do not think of competitions as the end of the learning process: for us, they are the beginning. www.emcy.org
ALINK-ARGERICH FOUNDATION An independent and objective Information and Service Centre for Musicians and Com- petitions, founded by Gustav Alink together with Martha Argerich. AAF supports musi- cians and competition organisers and gives them assistance and advice. AAF focuses speci cally on the International Piano Competitions worldwide. More than 190 inter- national piano competitions and organisations are af liated with AAF as AAF member competitions. They are all included in the annual AAF catalogue. Gustav Alink and also other AAF staff members frequently visit piano competitions, report on them and are constantly available to provide assistance whenever needed to the organisers, jury members and participants. www.alink-argerich.org
PIANO STREET PianoStreet.com operates worldwide from Stockholm in Sweden and was formed from the administrative base of Piano Forum, the world’s largest discussion forum on piano playing on the Internet (more than 600 000 postings). The resource is Internet based and provides a sheet music library, all pieces in the digital library are connected to recordings in Naxos Music Library. There also are pedagogical materials. Members can also enjoy e-books, autograph manuscripts, mobile sheet music, the Audio Visual Study Tool (AST), a music dictionary, practice tips, etc. Piano Street has over 200 000 members worldwide. www.pianostreet.com
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WPC01_P006_Partners.indd 6 17.11.18 22:40 COMPETITION PROFILE
PARTNERS
WORLD FEDERATION OF INTERNATIONAL MUSIC COMPETITIONS The World Federation of International Music Competitions is dedicated to establishing a global network of internationally recognised organisations that discover the most prom- ising young talents through public competition in the great tradition of classical music and further their careers by presenting them before distinguished juries, general audiences, the media, and the rest of the music community. The WFIMC is a Member of the Inter- national Music Council and some 122 of the world’s leading music competitions belong to the Federation. A number of important international music organisations are asso- ciate members of the WFIMC. wfi mc-fmcim.org
EUROPEAN UNION OF MUSIC COMPETITONS FOR YOUTH EMCY is a network of national and international music competitions for young people Lukáš Vondráček, first prize in 2016 across Europe. We believe that music competitions stimulate passionate musicianship. For many, they’re a rst glimpse of performing in public, playing in ensembles, or of breaking out of orthodox repertoire. They foster a sense of healthy self-assessment, can help conquer nerves, and motivate practise. Young people can be inspired by experienc- ing fresh interpretations and discovering new works and other European cultures. We do Queen Elisabeth Competition – not think of competitions as the end of the learning process: for us, they are the beginning. www.emcy.org Royal initiative Established in 1951 on the initiative of ALINK-ARGERICH FOUNDATION Her Majesty Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, An independent and objective Information and Service Centre for Musicians and Com- petitions, founded by Gustav Alink together with Martha Argerich. AAF supports musi- as a successor to the Eugène Ysaÿe Competition, cians and competition organisers and gives them assistance and advice. AAF focuses the Queen Elisabeth Competition very soon speci cally on the International Piano Competitions worldwide. More than 190 inter- became one of the leading international national piano competitions and organisations are af liated with AAF as AAF member competitions. They are all included in the annual AAF catalogue. Gustav Alink and also competitions for violinists, pianists and singers. other AAF staff members frequently visit piano competitions, report on them and are constantly available to provide assistance whenever needed to the organisers, jury members and participants. In 2017, for the first time in its history, the Queen Elisabeth Domás, Nikolaj Znaider, Baiba Skride, Marie-Nicole Lemieux, www.alink-argerich.org competition organized a competition devoted to cellists. Sergey Khachatryan but also, Anna Vinnitskaya, Denis Kozhukhin, Held in Brussels, the Queen Elisabeth Competition owes its Ray Chen, Andrey Baranov, Boris Giltburg, Sumi Hwang, Ji Young reputation in part to its extremely strict regulations, but also to Lim, Lukáš Vondráˇcek, Victor Julien-Laferrière and Samuel PIANO STREET its outstanding juries composed of performers and educators Hasselhorn. PianoStreet.com operates worldwide from Stockholm in Sweden and was formed from of international renown. The next edition for piano is to be held in May 2020 and is devoted the administrative base of Piano Forum, the world’s largest discussion forum on piano The Queen Elisabeth Competition aims above all to assist talented to young pianists who will work with the Brussels Philharmonic playing on the Internet (more than 600 000 postings). The resource is Internet based and young musicians in launching an international career, by offering Orchestra and conductor Stéphane Denève in the final round in provides a sheet music library, all pieces in the digital library are connected to recordings them the opportunity to perform for radio and television and by the Palais des Beaux-Arts in Brussels. in Naxos Music Library. There also are pedagogical materials. Members can also enjoy developing contacts and networks that can lead to concerts all e-books, autograph manuscripts, mobile sheet music, the Audio Visual Study Tool (AST), over the world. a music dictionary, practice tips, etc. Piano Street has over 200 000 members worldwide. Laureates of the competition over the past fifty years have included www.pianostreet.com Leon Fleisher, Vladimir Ashkenazy, Jaime Laredo, Gidon Kremer, General information, audio and video archives, Mitsuko Uchida, Vadim Repin, Frank Braley, Cristina Gallardo- regulations can be found on www.qeimc.be
6 HE R C M E 1 19 THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS 1/19 7
WPC01_P006_Partners.indd 6 17.11.18 22:40 WPC01_P007_Queen Elisabeth.indd 7 17.11.18 22:45 A view in one of the rooms of Edvard Grieg’s home Edvard Grieg International Piano Competition, Bergen (Norway)
Every two years, in September, the Edvard Grieg International Piano Competition takes place in the idyllic city of Bergen, Norway. The house at Troldhaugen, where Edvard Grieg lived and worked, is perfectly conserved and has become a wonderful museum that has already been visited by many people. There is a concert hall too, where the first three rounds of the competition take place. The performer as well as the audience can look out through a huge glass window over the green surroundings and the lake. It offers a spectacular view and the pianists find this very inspiring.
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PND04_P056-P057_Alink_Grieg.indd 8 18.11.18 21:55 PND04_P056-P057_Alink_Grieg.indd 8 8 THE WORLD OFPIANOCOMPETITIONS 1/19 (Norway) Bergen Competition, Piano International Grieg Edvard It offers aspectacular view and the pianists find this inspiring.very can look out through ahuge glass window over the green surroundings and the lake. first three rounds of the competition take place. The performer as well as the audience that has already been visited by many people. There is aconcert hall too, where the Grieg lived and worked, is conserved perfectly and has become awonderful museum place in the idyllic of Bergen, city Norway. The house at Troldhaugen, where Edvard years,Every two in September, the Edvard Grieg International Piano Competition takes Grieg’s home Edvard of rooms the of one in A view 18.11.18 21:55 PND04_P056-P057_Alink_Grieg.indd 9
GUSTAV ALINK with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra, two days before the the before days two Orchestra, Philharmonic Bergen the with concert opening season gave the and talk apersonal with uted contrib he year this and jury the on twice was Andsnes Ove Leif pianist Norwegian Famous members. jury of the by some classes master also and talks, lunches, lectures, music, with places historic to tours guided several are There acompetition. just than more much arrange organizers The event. entire the during testants 1500 get 500 of afee receive they for which Bergen, around or in opportunity concert extra an given are round, third the or second the to ted not admit are who those something: receive participants the All competitions. won other already had of them Many Bergen. to come to selected were 30 by video, apreselection After of alist from chosen be to one, another plus by Grieg one certos: con twopiano prepare to had finalists the 9,1 to 2018. time, This September from place took Competition Grieg 16th Edvard The asinger. accompany to had also have of 2014, As semi-finalists the performed. be have to Grieg by works several Naturally, of four rounds. consisted has petition 2012, com the Since respectively. 10,000 Euros and 20,000 is there finalists, two For other Euros! the 30,000 receives winner prize first the edition each at significantly: increased was money prize The biennial. become has 2012, competition the since and ized real indeed was This Bergen. in hosted be to it were if meaningful more even be could competition the that 2010, decided it was the 11thAfter competition contestants. of field agood attracted always competition the and annually held It was 2000. year the in Oslo it in started already who Steen-Nøkleberg, Einar pianist Norwegian from came Competition aGrieg of having idea The 2012 in jury the on served both Andsnes Ove Leif and Hamelin Marc-André 13. No less than 133 pianists, aged between 17 and 33 applied. 17 33 and applied. between aged 133 13. than pianists, No less Euros. The ones who reach the semifinals, but not the finals, finals, the but not semifinals, the reach who ones The Euros. Euros. Host families provide accommodation for all con for all accommodation provide families Host Euros.
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18.11.18 21:56 9 AN ORGANIZER’S VIEW
“The repertoire is very important to our festival.”
Franz-Xaver Ohnesorg Not necessarily
the first prize PETER WIELER
Prof. Franz-Xaver Ohnesorg was appointed Artistic Director of the Ruhr Piano Festival in 1996, and 2005 he also became the director of what is now recognized as the most important yearly piano event worldwide. Last edition counted 66 800 visitors and over 60 concerts. Ohnesorg also created the Ruhr Piano Festival Education Projects.
“In our festival we host a series of concerts with prize-winners Fabian Müller was introduced to us by Pierre-Laurent Aimard. called Die Besten der Besten. This year we had Jeung Beum Sohn He played at our festivals many times already before he was (First prize Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD 2017), successful in competitions, and we highly value his commitment Mao Fujita (First prize Concours International de Piano Clara to our educational projects. We re-invited Lucas Debargue who, Haskil 2017), Yekwon Sunwoo (first prize Van Cliburn International as is well known, did not get the first but the fourth prize at the Piano Competition 2017) and Fabian Muller (second prize Inter- Tchaikovsky Competition. He now enjoys a splendid career, nationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD 2017). like many of his colleagues who never won a major competition. With major competitions like the Tchaikovsky in Moscow, Chopin Hélène Grimaud is the perfect example. in Warsaw and Arthur Rubinstein in Tel Aviv, we have an agree- Joseph Moog is another and he offers us not often played reper- ment to engage a prize winner, but I value our freedom to invite the toire, which is also very important to our festival. second prize winner for example if we consider that pianist more The sheer number of competitions makes it hard for us to support interesting. Sometimes jury members favour their own students a pianist over the years, because next year there will already be and I want to stay away from that.” another first prize winner. Still, I consider it a duty to find and help extraordinary talents, whether they have been in a competition Duty or not. “Regrettably it is impossible for me to do talent scouting at many Our last concert this year will be our evening with Sophie Pacini. competitions; I simply don’t have the time, but I get valuable She is simply wonderful, completely independent from any prize advice from old friends I may say, such as Andras Schiff, Daniel winning. The concert is sold out.” Barenboim, Elisabeth Leonskaja and Martha Argerich.
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PND04_P010_Organizer.indd 10 17.11.18 23:06 AN ORGANIZER’S VIEW A TEACHER’S VIEW
“The repertoire “Losing is very important can also be to our festival.” a win.”
Franz-Xaver Ohnesorg Barbara Szczepanska Not necessarily Finding
the first prize PETER WIELER DIESNER SUSANNA the right doors
Prof. Franz-Xaver Ohnesorg was appointed Artistic Director of the Ruhr Piano Festival Prof. Barbara Szczepanska studied in her hometown Warsaw and in Moscow. As a performing artist, in 1996, and 2005 he also became the director of what is now recognized as the most important she toured extensively while teaching at various institutions in Warsaw and Münster. She was appointed yearly piano event worldwide. Last edition counted 66 800 visitors and over 60 concerts. as a Professor at the Robert Schumann Hochschule Düsseldorf in 1989, where she also initiated the Ohnesorg also created the Ruhr Piano Festival Education Projects. Robert Schumann Competition. Severin von Eckardstein studied with her for seven years in his teens.
“In our festival we host a series of concerts with prize-winners Fabian Müller was introduced to us by Pierre-Laurent Aimard. “Playing in a competition is a special challenge, especially for on the stage, and also a great amount of luck. Life can be unfair called Die Besten der Besten. This year we had Jeung Beum Sohn He played at our festivals many times already before he was young musicians. And from a pedagogical point of view this can and a solo career is definitely one of the more difficult careers. In (First prize Internationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD 2017), successful in competitions, and we highly value his commitment be very beneficial, because they learn to prepare in the best possible an artist’s development many factors are crucial, not only talent, Mao Fujita (First prize Concours International de Piano Clara to our educational projects. We re-invited Lucas Debargue who, way and practice with more focus. Learning to deal with stressful also environment, family and school. As a teacher working with Haskil 2017), Yekwon Sunwoo (first prize Van Cliburn International as is well known, did not get the first but the fourth prize at the situations, playing before a professional and critical audience, and young talents, I try to help foster the best possible circumstances. Piano Competition 2017) and Fabian Muller (second prize Inter- Tchaikovsky Competition. He now enjoys a splendid career, learning to organize their work can be lessons for life. Moreover, These early years are very important and I try to help with all my nationaler Musikwettbewerb der ARD 2017). like many of his colleagues who never won a major competition. mastering new repertoire and meeting deadlines can be a valuable heart.” With major competitions like the Tchaikovsky in Moscow, Chopin Hélène Grimaud is the perfect example. experience. Of course there are competition tourists: students who in Warsaw and Arthur Rubinstein in Tel Aviv, we have an agree- Joseph Moog is another and he offers us not often played reper- participate in many competitions, always playing the same pieces. Inner urge ment to engage a prize winner, but I value our freedom to invite the toire, which is also very important to our festival. Unfortunately, that is harmful to their development.” “Severin von Eckardstein was with me from age 10 to 17. Already second prize winner for example if we consider that pianist more The sheer number of competitions makes it hard for us to support as a child he had a character and personality. When he was 12 he interesting. Sometimes jury members favour their own students a pianist over the years, because next year there will already be Early years said he wanted to play Rachmaninoff, so he went to a competition and I want to stay away from that.” another first prize winner. Still, I consider it a duty to find and ”Naturally, everybody wants to win, to be the best, but losing can and won a piano! He really has this inner urge to play and with his help extraordinary talents, whether they have been in a competition also be a win, because it gives you a chance to reflect upon your extraordinary talent he felt the music instinctively. Now when I Duty or not. own talent compared to others. It is very important to make the see him perform, I can still see the child Sevi from long ago. “Regrettably it is impossible for me to do talent scouting at many Our last concert this year will be our evening with Sophie Pacini. right choices for your career and future life. In this respect the Artur Schnabel said ‘a teacher can only open the right door at the competitions; I simply don’t have the time, but I get valuable She is simply wonderful, completely independent from any prize feedback from the jury can be very helpful too in finding ways right moment. The student has to go through himself.’ That is so advice from old friends I may say, such as Andras Schiff, Daniel winning. The concert is sold out.” to do better. Times have changed: a first prize is no longer a guar- true, and I see it as my task to find the right doors. This was also Barenboim, Elisabeth Leonskaja and Martha Argerich. antee for a long career. You need personality, stability, presence my motivation to start our competition in Düsseldorf.”
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PND04_P010_Organizer.indd 10 17.11.18 23:06 WPC01_P011_Teacher.indd 11 17.11.18 23:03 STUART ISACOFF STUART
Van Cliburn & The Tchaikovsky Competition The Mother of All Competitions
Political divisions between the right and the left seem to be intensifying daily. Yet, current tensions pale in comparison to those felt in the darkest days of the Cold War – a time when nuclear disaster seemed imminent. It was a time when, for a brief moment, a single classical musician miraculously opened the door to peace between feuding superpowers. The world, at least temporarily, breathed a collective sigh of relief. It signalled the power of music to transform human souls, and simultaneously marked the launch of one of the world’s great music contests.
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WPC01_P012-P013_History.indd 12 17.11.18 23:12 HISTORY
Van Cliburn swept the Moscovites off their feet
It was 1958, a year after the Soviets unveiled their space satellite hands the piano seemed to be whispering intimate secrets. At the Sputnik, and Americans were bracing for the possibility of bombs end of the pianist’s concerto round, jury chairman Emil Gilels falling from the skies. The United States’ attempt to answer by went backstage, brought Cliburn out again, and kissed him in public. launching a satellite called Vanguard was a disaster: the rocket Gilels requested permission from Nikita Khrushchev to give the merely sputtered and fizzled (the embarrassing headlines in the gold prize to Cliburn. The official story has Khrushchev agreeing United Kingdom were “Stay Putnik,” and “Oh, What a Flopnik”). without hesitation: “Was he the best? Then give it to him.” In While savouring their victory, the Russians set in motion plans for truth, Khrushchev’s advisors engaged in a vigorous debate over yet another propaganda coup. They intended to show the world the issue – with advocates of a “thaw” with the West, like First they were also superior in the arts by announcing the creation of Deputy Minister of Culture Sergei Kaftanov, standing in opposition the Tchaikovsky International Music Competition. Officials prese- to nationalists like Mikhail Suslov, the hardliner known as the lected the winner, a Georgian pianist named Lev Vlassenko. But, “Black Cardinal.” against all odds, a lanky, 23-year-old brilliant Texas pianist name Van Cliburn swept the Moscovites off their feet and captured first Glasnost prize, stunning the world and momentarily reshaping political reality. The decision rested on a comment Khrushchev made to pianist Vera Gornostaeva: “The future success of this competition lies in Johann Strauss one thing: the justice that the jury gives,” she told me he had said. Though the story is nearly 50 years old, it still has resonance today, “I don’t know who told him that,” she added, assuming that he because then, as now, the ideological battles seemed intractable. couldn’t have reached that conclusion alone. It is likely Gilels, who
STUART ISACOFF STUART From the early days of the twentieth century, when Maxim Gorky also informed the country’s leader that giving the award to Cliburn visited America and returned with a dystopian vision of the nation could end the Cold War. That moment in April of 1958 opened as greedy and artless, the antipathy was deep seated. Nevertheless, wide the channels of cultural and diplomatic exchanges between the allure of America’s vibrant culture continued to infiltrate life the two superpowers. Mainstream publications began to celebrate Van Cliburn & The Tchaikovsky Competition in the USSR – including fashion, music and film. American adven- “The Arts as Bridges.” Educational exchanges expedited even ture movies, detective stories, and zany comedies were popular greater change. Even the fact that most of the Soviet “students” in the Soviet Union. Even Stalin adored an American film, who arrived in the United States were KGB agents didn’t detract “The Great Waltz,” about the life of Johann Strauss. from the positive gains that ensued. In the fall of 1958, Aleksandr Yakovlev was one of four Soviets sent to Columbia University. Charisma He liked what he saw, and after returning home Yakovlev, working By 1957, young Muscovites were listening to banned music as well. with President Mikhail Gorbachev, became known as the god- The Mother of They danced the jitterbug, smoked Camels and Pall Malls, and father of glasnost. addressed each other as “darling” and “baby.” The official Soviet Could it happen again? It’s unlikely – Cliburn’s victory was the view of America’s artistic life as worthless was weakening on all result of very special circumstances. Then again, no one could fronts. In 1956 the Boston Symphony had arrived in Moscow to have predicted the outcome in 1958 either. perform, and hearing them proved to be a revelation. So when an STUART ISACOFF All Competitions American pianist from Texas with the charisma of a movie star arrived, Moscow was primed to welcome him. Economic pressures were also coming to bear: Communist officials decried America’s Political divisions between the right and the left seem to be intensifying daily. “rotten capitalist foundation,” but their nation was in serious need of some of that capital. The Tchaikovsky Competition was first Yet, current tensions pale in comparison to those felt in the darkest days of the Cold War – proposed in 1951 by a man named Nikolai Bespalov, but his vision a time when nuclear disaster seemed imminent. It was a time when, for a brief moment, of a festival and competition was too grand. By 1956, however, when promoting trade and tourism became a truly crucial goal, a single classical musician miraculously opened the door to peace between feuding a scaled-back version of Bespalov’s proposal seemed attractive. Stuart Isacoff superpowers. The world, at least temporarily, breathed a collective sigh of relief. Freedom When the World Stopped to Listen: It signalled the power of music to transform human souls, and simultaneously Moscow’s audiences, meanwhile, were seriously hooked on the Van Cliburn’s Cold War Triumph tenderness and honesty of Cliburn’s playing. Critics felt they de- and Its Aftermath marked the launch of one of the world’s great music contests. tected in it the face of freedom. His sound was golden, and in his Alfred A. Knopf, New York, 2017
12 THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS 1/19 THE WORLD OF PIANO COMPETITIONS 1/19 13
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WPC01_P014_Ad.indd 14 17.11.18 23:18 A DIRECTOR’S VIEW is a unique three-monthly magazine, published in seven countries in “The pianist’s two special editions with different contents: one in German for Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Luxemburg and Liechtenstein and one in Dutch for the Netherlands and Belgium. The magazine is also distributed in controlled career is my main circulation in Eastern Europe with other European countries planned for the future. consideration.” Each issue includes interviews with leading pianists and rising talent, news, features, analysis, reviews and comment. We also publish in-depth articles on piano recordings and repertoire, piano brands, retailers, master classes on piano technique and interpretation, reports from festivals, competitions, and so on.
Our German edition was launched two years ago at the request of the Ruhr Piano Festival, and we maintain a close cooperation with the festival.