Pianists and Their Composers: Franz Liszt

by Frances Wilson

Franz Liszt divides opinion. For some he is regarded as one of the greatest pianist-composers of the Romantic era; for others, he is a showman and a charlatan who wrote vulgar, showy music.

3D rendering of Franz Liszt by Hadi Karimi

In fact, he was a remarkable musician and human being. Sure, as a performer he could be flamboyant and extravagant in his gestures, but he helped shape the modern solo piano concert as we know it today and he also brought a great deal of music to the public realm through his transcriptions (he transcribed Beethoven’s symphonies for solo piano, thus making this repertoire accessible to both concert artists and amateur pianists to play at home). He was an advocate of new music and up-and-coming composers and lent his generous support to people like Richard Wagner (who married Liszt’s daughter Cosima).

His piano music combines technical virtuosity and emotional depth. It’s true that some of his output is showy – all virtuosic flourishes for the sake of virtuosity – but his suites such as the Années de Pèlerinage or the Transcendental Etudes, and his transcriptions of Schubert songs demonstrate the absolute apogee of art, poetry, and beauty combined.

Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich

Martha Argerich brings fire and fluency to her interpretations, underpinned by a remarkable technical assuredness. Her 1972 recording of the B-minor Sonata and Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 is regarded as “legendary”.

Leslie Howard

Leslie Howard

Australian Leslie Howard is the only pianist to have recorded the solo piano music of Liszt, a project which includes some 300 premiere recordings, and he is rightly regarded as a specialist of this repertoire who has brought much of Liszt’s lesser-known music to the fore. 

Lazar Berman

Lazar Berman

Berman’s 1977 recording of the Années de Pèlerinage remains the benchmark recording of this repertoire for many. Berman brings sensibility and grandeur, warm-heartedness, and mastery to this remarkable set of pieces. 

Alim Beisembayev

Alim Beisembayev

Winner of the 2021 Leeds International Piano Competition, the young Armenian pianist Alim Beisembayev’s debut recording of the complete Transcendental Etudes is remarkable for its spellbinding polish, precision, and musical maturity, all supported by superb technique. 

Yuja Wang

Yuja Wang

Yuja Wang has been praised for her breath-taking interpretations of Liszt’s First Piano Concerto which combine force and filigree, emotional depth, and technical mastery to create thrilling and insightful performances. 

Other noted Liszt pianists include Georges Cziffra, Jorge Bolet, Krystian Zimerman, Lang Lang, Daniil Trifonov, Sviatoslav Richter, Marc-André Hamelin, Nelson Freire, Claudio Arrau, and Vladimir Horowitz.

Ways of Listening

By Frances Wilson, Interlude

“Art is not what you see, but what you make others see.”

This quote from the French artist Edgar Degas could be paraphrased for music – Music is not what you hear, but what you make others hear.

In other words, the role of the performer – like the artist – is to create images, narratives and meaning for the audience through the music they perform. Their own interpretation or concept of the music may not necessarily be easily audible to the listener: we will each perceive and interpret the music in our own way, and what sounds like pleasing music to one person may sound like noise to another! But if a performance evokes a mood or scene, provokes emotions or creates a meaningful experience for the listener, then it can be considered successful in its ability to communicate – in effect, “to make others hear”.

© Tim Robberts/Stone/Getty Images

I’ve selected ‘Dawn’ from Benjamin Britten’s Sea Interludes from Peter Grimes (in an arrangement for organ by Anna Lapwood) to illustrate this point. The composer gives us some help in the title of the piece, but it is down to the performer (Anna Lapwood) to illustrate in sound the “story” of the music to us. I think she does this very successfully, in the restrained opening section, suggesting the gradual increase of light as dawn breaks. 

Equally, the finale of Prokofiev’s Piano Sonata No.7 is said portray German tanks invading Stalingrad. Certainly, the music, a savage toccata, has an unrelenting energy, but the intended imagery may not be obvious to every listener – and that’s fine because ultimately, the listening experience should be whatever you get from it!  What makes a “good” performance is also in the ear of the beholder, to a greater or lesser extent. An ill-prepared performance, riven with errors and mishaps, will surely be obvious to even the most ingenue listener, but “good” or “great” performance is harder to define because our listening is so subjective and individual, and is inherently biased due to our personal tastes, insight and experience.

The best performers have a clear mental and aural picture of the music, the result of meticulous work not just during physical practicing but in time spent studying the score away from the instrument. In addition, a greater understanding of the music comes from wider knowledge of the composer’s oeuvre, the music of his or her contemporaries, the social and historical context in which the music was written, and comparative listening. Thus the performer can build a detailed, personal vision of the music which they hope will be communicated to their audience. We cannot read the performer’s mind (nor indeed the composer’s!), so it is down to the performer to “tell the story” of the music as best they can, to bring it alive for us through their performance.

One of the most enjoyable aspects of concert-going – and one which I have missed over the long months of the pandemic when opportunities to hear live music have been sparse – is attending a concert with a friend or group of friends and discussing what we have heard during the interval or after the concert. The range of views can sometimes be startling, from “I loved it!” to “I really couldn’t stand it!”, which reveal just how personal our listening experience is.

Music is about communication and expression. It has a special ability to connect, inspire and move us beyond the realms of everyday life.

“The feelings that we get from listening to music are something we produce, it’s not there in the notes. It comes from emotional insight in each of us, the music is just the trigger”. – Dr David Cope

Understanding Performance Anxiety

By Frances Wilson, Interlude

Vladimir Horowitz at the Carnegie Hall concert in 1965

Managing the physical symptoms

“Each time, before I went on stage, I began to think, ‘How can I go on playing the piano, if this is what it’s going to be like?’” – Steven Osborne, concert pianist

The physical symptoms of stage fright or Performance Anxiety, as outlined in my previous article, can be unpleasant and debilitating. Racing heart and trembling fingers can threaten to derail a performance by the most professional and/or well-prepared musician, and classical musicians are especially prone because accuracy and virtuosity are crucial to their art.

Understanding the physiology of the symptoms (the “fight or flight” response) and accepting that these symptoms are normal and common to us all can go some way in managing and alleviating the symptoms of Performance Anxiety. This can also help us let go of some of the negative psychological effects and messages we give ourselves when we are nervous.

The flood of adrenaline in the body can give a significant boost to the body which can be used positively in performance, injecting it with energy and excitement. But this needs to be balanced, as too much adrenaline can make one feel jittery and unstable.

Certain physical actions and exercises can help calm the body when in an anxious state:

• Deep thoracic (Pilates) breathing (breathe in for 4 counts, out for 6). This slows the heart rate and attendant symptoms (breathlessness, palpitations etc) and relaxes muscles which become tense due to anxiety.

• Gentle exercises such as swinging or shaking arms and hands, and legs

• Power poses – proven to lower cortisol (stress hormone) levels in the body and psychologically they can make you feel bigger and stronger

These simple exercises can be done while waiting to perform and may also act as a distraction from some of the psychologically symptoms of Performance Anxiety.

Unfortunately, for some musicians the physical symptoms are so overwhelming that they may resort to betablockers (which lower the heartrate) or even alcohol. The problem here is that while pills or alcohol may dull the nerves, they take the edge off tension and inspiration which make a great performance. They also treat only the symptoms, not the cause of Performance Anxiety. 

Managing the psychological symptoms

While the physical symptoms are easily understood and can be managed with simple exercises, managing the psychological symptoms of Performance Anxiety is more complex. Fundamentally, Performance Anxiety stems from fear – the fear of making a mistake and looking foolish in front of audience, colleagues, tutors and friends. This is reinforced by an unhealthy focus on perfectionism which is inculcated in musicians in the early stages of their training and reiterated through the commentary of critics and reviewers and high-quality, “perfect” recordings.

In reality, perfectionism is an artificial construct and to counter this, it is helpful to think about a performance situation in a more rational way. For example, instead of viewing the audience as the “enemy” and thinking that the performance will either be perfect or a complete disaster if it is not, the musician should “retrain” him or herself to regard the audience as a friendly ally and to see a few slips or mistakes as inevitable – because we are all human.

“There is often a large disparity between the reality of the ‘threat’ and a performer’s experience of it – the audience can be imagined as a very hostile, critical group when by and large they are simply there to enjoy themselves. Coming to grips with this disparity is a crucial part of developing as a performing musician.” – Steven Osborne

Good preparation, the result of deep, thoughtful and careful practising, is crucial in managing Performance Anxiety and the irrational feelings which surround it. The Russian pianist Vladimir Horowitz would say ahead of a performance “I know my pieces”, reassuring himself with the knowledge that he had done his practising and was well-prepared. Good preparation breeds confidence. The maxim “through discipline comes freedom” also applies: disciplined preparation allows one to set the music free in concert, creating a performance which is rich in expression and emotion, bringing the music alive for others.

Putting the experience of performing into perspective is also helpful. Performing music is a highly skilled art, but it is not brain surgery or rocket science! No one will die if you make a mistake – and often audiences don’t even notice errors or slips, as they are immersed in the total musical experience rather than focussing on the minutiae of it. The ego may be damaged by a few errors, but nothing really terrible will happen to the performer as a result. Alongside good preparation, as performers, we can help ourselves to boost our confidence, leading to a successful performance:

• Select repertoire which suits you and which you know you can play well

• “Stress test” your playing in the practice room using video and recording, and perform the programme for friends or in a more informal setting before the main performance. Note weak areas which need additional focus and work on these in practice.

• Adopt a positive mindset and consider using techniques drawn from Neuro-Linguistic Programming and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to turn negative thoughts and the ‘toxic inner critic’ into positive affirmation and confidence-boosting messages. For example, turn “I am nervous” into “I am excited” and “I can do this!”.

• Recall previous successful performances and draw confidence from these. Try to recreate the same feelings experienced during a successful performance.

• Remember the audience is not the “enemy” and they are there to enjoy sharing the music with you.

• Accept that anxiety is normal and that it also shows that you care about what you’re doing. Lose the emotional edge and your music may become lifeless and uninteresting. Music is an emotional experience – keep in touch with your emotions and use them to bring the music to life in vivid colour and expression.

• Try not to pre-empt a performance with negative thoughts such as “it won’t go well” or “it won’t be any good”. Instead, focus on the narrative and imagery of the music you are performing and how to convey this to the audience.

• Use visualisation techniques to imagine a successful performance, including actions such as walking onto stage and preparing to play.

• Play with passion and with joy, remaining “in the moment” of the performance and let the music carry you – and the audience – along, rather than obsessing about tricky sections which are to come.

• If during the performance you feel your anxiety is getting in the way of your playing, try taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly. This helps you to refocus on the music.

After the performance, accept the compliments and positive feedback from teachers, colleagues, friends and audience members and draw confidence from this. Don’t dwell on what happened or what “might have been”. Instead, start preparing for the next performance with a sense of adventure and excitement.

Pianists and Their Composers: Franz Schubert

“Schubert’s music is the most human that I know.” – András Schiff

Schubert’s music provides the bridge between the classical and romantic eras. Yet his music was not well known during his lifetime outside of Schubert’s own intimate circle of friends. His piano music was largely neglected right up to the early part of the 20th century when it was given the attention it deserved by pianists such as Artur Schnabel, who can be partly credited for introducing it into the regular concert repertoire with pieces such as the late piano sonatas, the two sets of Impromptus, the Moments Musicaux, and the “Wanderer fantasie”. Today, these works are staples of the pianist’s repertoire, much loved by performers and audiences alike.

3D portrait of Franz Schubert © Hadi Karimi

Schubert’s musical sensibilities and invention were inspired by the human voice – he wrote over 600 songs – and lyrical melody and long-spung cantabile lines are distinctive elements of all his music.

For the pianist, his music remains an interpretational challenge and the best Schubert players have absorbed the essentials from his songs and chamber music. Because of his proximity, and admiration for Beethoven, there is a tendency among some players to approach his music like Beethoven’s; but Schubert is a composer who speaks more quietly and introspectively, even in his more declamatory moments. The skill in playing his music well is a sensitivity to these aspects without sentimentality.

Clifford Curzon

Clifford Curzon © Getty Images

British pianist Clifford Curzon (1907-1982) had a special affinity for Schubert, fostered by his studies with Artur Schnabel. His performance of Schubert’s last sonata, the D960 in B-flat, is considered by many to be one of the greatest performances ever. In this recording, his concentration and nervous intensity are so palpable it is almost like eavesdropping. 

Elisabeth Leonskaja

Elisabeth Leonskaja

A protégé of the great Russian pianist Sviatoslav Richter, himself a fine Schubert player, Russian pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja is noted for her performances and recordings of Schubert’s piano music. As an artist, she is unfailingly intelligent, tasteful and musical, whose performances display great refinement, romantic fervour, delicacy, and power, all underpinned by commanding technique. 

András Schiff

András Schiff

No appraisal of Schubert pianists would be complete with András Schiff, who really honours every work, and who has recorded the piano music on Schubert-era instruments, offering listeners an intriguing insight into the range of colours and nuances afforded by Schubert’s writing. Always fastidious in his close attention to the details of the score, Schiff really gets to the heart, soul, and fundamental humanity of Schubert in his playing and brings a compelling intimacy to his performances, even in the largest of concert halls.

Radu Lupu

Radu Lupu

The great Romanian pianist Radu Lupu, who died in April 2022, was described by Gramophone magazine as “A lyricist in a thousand”, who placed Schubert’s music at the centre of his repertoire throughout his career. Sensitive to Schubert’s mercurial moods, his playing demonstrates immense control, subtlety of shading and dynamic nuance, an almost ethereal luminosity of sound, and a myriad range of colours which fully reveals Schubert’s inventiveness and imagination, the rich seam of his ideas, and his forward vision.

Mitsuko Uchida

Mitsuko Uchida © Geoffroy Schied

Like András Schiff, Mitsuko Uchida has an unerring ability to bring an intimacy and sense of a conversation to her performances of Schubert’s music, and she does so with clarity, commitment, and a clear sense of the narrative line, the lightness and lyricism, and also the roughness in his music. Uchida is very alert to Schubert’s idiosyncrasies, his chiaruscuro and elusive, shifting moods: beauty and delicacy, poignancy and loneliness abound in her performances of this composer whose music has been a lifelong presence for her. 

Other fine Schubert players to explore include Shura Cherkassy, Rudolf Firkusny, Walter Gieseking, Rudolf Serkin, Wilhelm Kempf, Paul Lewis, Maria João Pires, Alexander Lonquich, Imogen Cooper, Krystian Zimerman, Murray Perahia, and of course Alfred Brendel.

Where Have All the Audiences Gone?

by Frances Wilson, Interlude 

Examine the Reasons Behind the Decline in Music Audiences After Covid

There has been a fair amount of commentary in the UK in recent months about a noticeable drop in audience numbers for concerts as live music returns to (almost) normal post-pandemic. In almost every article and discussion, ongoing anxiety about Covid was cited as the main reason why audiences are not returning – whether anxiety about catching Covid in a crowded concert venue or opera house, or the possibility that the programme may be changed, or the concert cancelled at the last minute due to illness amongst performers.

In fact, audience surveys reveal that Covid is fairly low on audiences’ list of concerns (source here: https://www.audienceoutlookmonitor.com).

So if it’s not Covid that’s keeping people away, what is it?

© Kilyan Sockalingum on Unsplash

1. Cost of tickets

Concert tickets have noticeably increased in price since the pandemic as venues try to recoup lost revenue when they were closed or forced to operate with limited capacity (West End ticket prices are about c30% since the spring). This is in the face of a serious cost of living crisis which means people have less discretionary spending, even those from the more affluent demographic which tends to comprise classical concert audiences. As pressure on personal finances bites, people cut back on activities and spending which they may deem to be “non-essential”. Unfortunately, for many people, concert-going may now fall into this category.

2. Additional costs of attending a concert

On top of the concert ticket (c£25-£30 on average in London), there are additional costs such as travel and food and beverages (a glass of wine at a leading London venue now costs nearly £10!). Add these to the ticket price and it’s already turned into quite a pricey night out. (See 1. above.)

3. Time value

Is this concert worth my time? Will I get value for money and value for my time if I attend? High ticket prices raise the level of audience expectation: the higher the price, the less likely that expectations will be met, leading to disappointment (see also 5. below).

4. The seductively low or zero cost of streaming services at home

Why schlepp uptown with all the additional costs of going to a concert or opera when you can watch from the comfort of your living room, the only spend being a reasonably-priced bottle of wine from Lidl.

5. Programmes

Audiences are reporting that some promoters/artistic directors/venues are simply not offering them the kind of music they really want to hear. We have an inherent cognitive bias towards minimising disappointment over maximising enjoyment; this especially works against ‘new’ content.

6. Ease of booking

Organisers and promoters report that audiences are booking later and later, which is deeply anxiety-making for concert organisers. Because there is an assumption amongst concert-goers that there will be last-minute availability, and online booking is easily accessible via your smartphone, concert-goers will act accordingly and book at the last minute. This also ties in with 3. above, whereby people are weighing up the benefits/value to them of attending a concert and then deciding at the last minute whether or not to go. 

Some possible solutions:

1. Dynamic pricing — in which ticket prices increase as demand increases (a pricing model favoured by airlines such as EasyJet).

To make this work, you have to first open with a low ticket price and step-up prices as demand builds. So, for example, you might run an ‘Early Bird’ ticket offer in the first instance, and increase prices as the concert date approaches. Audiences may be incentivised to book earlier because of the special offer.

2. Lower prices across the board

Venues are reporting low audience numbers and while all of the points above may be contributing factors, price is the single most important issue at present. Most concert tickets are priced according to seat position in the venue – the best seats cost the most. While some people may enjoy the kudos of being in the most expensive seats in the house, I suspect many more would happily pay a lot less. Why not offer lower prices across the entire venue and enjoy potentially higher attendance?

3. Give audiences the programmes they want to hear

It is possible to offer programmes which include both the well-known/popular works of the classical canon alongside lesser-known, rarely-performed or new music. Remember that people go to concerts for entertainment (in the best possible meaning of that word), to escape from life’s daily grind for a few hours, to meet up with friends, and because they enjoy live music.

4. Build greater trust between promoter/organiser/artistic director and audiences

Nurture and respect your audiences and they will repay you with their presence. (I will write more about trust in a future article.)