 |
|
| Hobby Forum Index » Music - Classical » Washington Examiner: Piano virtuoso Misha Dichter... |
|
Page 1 of 1 |
|
| Author |
Message |
| Premise Checker... |
 Posted: Tue Oct 06, 2009 7:15 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Piano virtuoso Misha Dichter performs for Philharmonic opener
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/entertainment/Piano-virtuoso-Misha-Dichter-performs-for-Philharmonic-opener-8332093-63291307.html
[Sarah was in the choir.]
By: Emily Cary
Special to the Examiner
October 4, 2009
Pianist Misha Dichter is soloist for the National Philharmonic
season opener
Where: 3 p.m. Oct. 4 (a free, pre-concert lecture begins at 2
p.m.)
When: Music Center at Strathmore
Info: $29 to $79, children ages 7 to 17 are free; 301-581-5100;
nationalphilharmonic.org
Virtuoso pianist Misha Dichter is guest soloist of the National
Philharmonic for its all-Beethoven opening program. Along with his
performance of the "Piano Concerto No. 2," the evening will consist
of the composer's "Symphony No. 1" and his "Choral Fantasy"
featuring the National Philharmonic Chorale and six guest soloists.
"Each of the Beethoven concertos is its own wondrous world," Dichter
says. "I've played all of them and I think the second is tuneful,
optimistic and springlike. It's as tricky and perhaps the thorniest
of any."
Dichter has long championed the works of Beethoven in concert and
recordings and is regarded as a supreme interpreter of his
compositions. He is equally admired for his visionary approach to
the music of the Russian Romantic and German Classical styles. His
discography spans two centuries of works by such significant
composers as Brahms, Mozart, Liszt, Shostakovich, Tchaikovsky and
Gershwin.
In 2005, Dichter and his wife, Cipa, his piano duo partner, released
their three-CD album of Mozart's complete piano works. Music Web
International named it the Record of the Year. A highlight of the
following season was their performance of the world premiere of the
first movement of Shostakovich's two-piano version of his stirring
and somber "Symphony No. 13" (Babi Yar) at New York's Museum of
Jewish Heritage.
But by then, Dichter realized his right hand was not functioning the
way he liked. The problem was Dupuytren's contracture of the small
finger. Over a period of time, the fibers of the hand begin to
contract down. This inherited condition is especially devastating to
musicians, artists and anyone whose career depends on unrestricted
use of the hands.
"About six years ago, I began to notice a slow, incremental curling
up of my finger," he says. "My father had the same thing in the '50s
and they botched the repair. At first I began wondering how I could
rearrange everything for nine fingers. It all came to a head when I
was performing Tchaikovsky's 'Symphony No. 4' at Chicago, and
realized I couldn't play it as I would have liked.
"Until then, I'd rationalized like crazy, but that told me I must do
something about the problem. The first doctor I contacted said to
wait and see what happened, so I dropped him. The next one said he
could help me. The first time I called him, it was like a bad movie
script. The receptionist answered, put me on hold, and left me
listening to Muzak playing Tchaikovsky's 'Symphony No. 4.' A friend
said that was a sign."
Seven weeks after the surgery and undergoing a period of therapy,
Dichter was playing normally. Two years later, he is plunging into a
busy season of solo and duo appearances with Cipa. He especially
looks forward to learning and performing many works that have evaded
him during his busy career. One recent addition to his repertoire is
Leonard Bernstein's demanding "Age of Anxiety" which he'll perform
in June with the Seattle Symphony.
"Bernstein and I were neighbors 40 years ago and I'm kicking myself
that I didn't learn it when he was around," he says. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
| Allen... |
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 8:33 am |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Premise Checker wrote:
Thanks for posting this. I've wondered why Dichter seemed to have
disappeared from the face of the earth. I heard him once, perhaps 20
years ago, when he toured with the Warsaw Phil. The only reason I went
to the concert was to hear them play Lutoslawski Sym 3, as I had an
active dislike for the other items on the program--one of which was the
Rachmaninoff Paganini Variations. Dichter, along with great orchestral
playing (as I recall, Kord was conducting), turned it into a piece that
I like very much. I wish I had a recording of that performance.
Listening to it was sort of like a series of painless insect stings,
continually riveting my attention..
Allen |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
| bassppn... |
| Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 1:55 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
I have had 2 hand operations for Dupuytren's by the same doctor who
did Dichter! I am also a pianist... the operations were a success.
AB
Quote: But by then, Dichter realized his right hand was not functioning the
way he liked. The problem was Dupuytren's contracture of the small
finger. Over a period of time, the fibers of the hand begin to
contract down. This inherited condition is especially devastating to
musicians, artists and anyone whose career depends on unrestricted
use of the hands.
"About six years ago, I began to notice a slow, incremental curling
up of my finger," he says. "My father had the same thing in the '50s
and they botched the repair. At first I began wondering how I could
rearrange everything for nine fingers. It all came to a head when I
was performing Tchaikovsky's 'Symphony No. 4' at Chicago, and
realized I couldn't play it as I would have liked.
"Until then, I'd rationalized like crazy, but that told me I must do
something about the problem. The first doctor I contacted said to
wait and see what happened, so I dropped him. The next one said he
could help me. The first time I called him, it was like a bad movie
script. The receptionist answered, put me on hold, and left me
listening to Muzak playing Tchaikovsky's 'Symphony No. 4.' A friend
said that was a sign."
Seven weeks after the surgery and undergoing a period of therapy,
Dichter was playing normally. Two years later, he is plunging into a
busy season of solo and duo appearances with Cipa. He especially
looks forward to learning and performing many works that have evaded
him during his busy career. One recent addition to his repertoire is
Leonard Bernstein's demanding "Age of Anxiety" which he'll perform
in June with the Seattle Symphony.
"Bernstein and I were neighbors 40 years ago and I'm kicking myself
that I didn't learn it when he was around," he says. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
| wr... |
| Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 11:08 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Quote: In article <Pine.NEB.4.64.0910061032230.6952 at (no spam) panix1.panix.com>, checker at (no spam) panix.com says...
...
"About six years ago, I began to notice a slow, incremental curling
up of my finger," he says. "My father had the same thing in the '50s
and they botched the repair. At first I began wondering how I could
rearrange everything for nine fingers. It all came to a head when I
was performing Tchaikovsky's 'Symphony No. 4' at Chicago, and
realized I couldn't play it as I would have liked.
Are we supposed to assume he and Cipa were doing a transcription of the
Tchaikovsky? Or what? I mean, it's just sort of an odd thing for a
pianist to say without any elaboration... |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
| wr... |
| Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2009 11:35 pm |
|
|
|
Guest
|
Quote: In article <8a9f4654-f1fe-4dd2-92b5-7102646afdc9 at (no spam) m1g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>, abachrach at (no spam) att.net says...
I have had 2 hand operations for Dupuytren's by the same doctor who
did Dichter! I am also a pianist... the operations were a success.
There are a couple of interesting YouTube videos of Dichter talking
about his experience with Dupuytren's. There is just a bit of overlap
of material, but they are mostly not the same.
http://tinyurl.com/ylx8p98
http://tinyurl.com/yhtprgl
There are some other, less invasive treatments, BTW, including one
involving a sharpened needle that is used to break up the fibrous
stuff, and the FDA is poised to approve a enzyme injection that melts
the stuff. |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
| bassppn... |
| Posted: Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:55 am |
|
|
|
Guest
|
On Oct 12, 1:35 am, wr <nob... at (no spam) nowhere.net> wrote:
Quote: In article <8a9f4654-f1fe-4dd2-92b5-7102646af... at (no spam) m1g2000vbi.googlegroups.com>, abachr... at (no spam) att.net says...
I have had 2 hand operations for Dupuytren's by the same doctor who
did Dichter! I am also a pianist... the operations were a success.
There are a couple of interesting YouTube videos of Dichter talking
about his experience with Dupuytren's. There is just a bit of overlap
of material, but they are mostly not the same.
http://tinyurl.com/ylx8p98
http://tinyurl.com/yhtprgl
There are some other, less invasive treatments, BTW, including one
involving a sharpened needle that is used to break up the fibrous
stuff, and the FDA is poised to approve a enzyme injection that melts
the stuff.
yes, I know about it....... I now have a 3rd Dupuytren's invasion in
my right hand and my doctor,(Dichter's also) said by December it
should be approved and then he will use it on my hand. can't wait, it
is interfering with my piano and bassoon playing.
AB |
|
|
| Back to top |
|
|
|
|
|
All times are GMT - 5 Hours
The time now is Sat Nov 28, 2009 9:38 pm
|
|