Notable web postings - February 2018
Continued from Notable web postings - January 2018
Older notable web postings are collected at Notable web postings archival
Our best wishes to Nobuyuki Tsujii for great successes on his album release (Jan 31) & U.K. performances (Feb 1 - Feb 4)
News, comments, photos and videos of the U.K. performances are collected at => Nobuyuki Tsujii with Vasily Petrenko & RLPO in U.K., February 2018
♪ This month's performances:
February 1-4 With the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and conductor Vasily Petrenko in U.K.
February 1 Thursday 7:30 PM Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini at the Liverpool Phiharmonic Hall (1,700 seats)
February 2 19:30 Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a theme of Paganini at the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham (1185 seats, 4 levels)
February 4 Sunday 2:30 PM Greig's Concerto at the Liverpool Phiharmonic Hall in Liverpool, http://www.liverpoolphil.com/whats-on/griegs-piano-concerto
February 18 through March 24, Japan Tour debut 10 years Japan recital Tour 辻井伸行 日本ツア 13 performances
♪ Feb 4 Liverpool concert live-streamed
Thank you, Royal Liverpool Philharmonic & Classic FM. It was a privilege to get to see the concert and a big treat for us Nobuyuki Tsujii Fans!!
More at => The Feb 4 RLPO Greig's Concerto Video
♪ Yamaguchi-NHK TV interview, March 2 6:10PM
A while back Shinobu Oyashiki-san shared this photo in a tweet from the Iwakuni recital. The sign says there was filming at the concert
I heard from a reliable source that the "TV filming" was for a local news program and not for a documentary. :-(
And indeed this blog post by a TV announcer just came up
http://www.nhk.or.jp/yamaguchi-blog/100/291048.html
先日、世界的なピアニスト辻井伸行さんから
お話を伺う機会がありました。
３歳から中学生までピアノをやっていた私にとって憧れの存在で、
直接お話を伺うことができ本当に光栄でした。とても気さくですてきな方でした
ピアニスト辻井伸行さんのインタビューの様子は３月２日（金）の
『情報維新！やまぐち』（午後６時１０分～）で放送予定です。ぜひご覧ください！
Recently, there was an opportunity to hear the story from world pianist Shinji Tsujii.
I played the piano from 3 years old to junior high and I admire him,
I was really honored to be able to talk directly to him. He is a very friendly and nice person.
Interview of pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii will be shown on Friday, March 2
"Information restoration! Yamaguchi" program (6: 10 pm ~). Please have a look!
♪ But will they "get" Kapustin?
As I write, Nobu is about to make two recitals of his debut 10 years Japan Tour in Tokyo, where the more contemporary music of the second half can be expected to find the most receptive ears in Japan. But I was delighted to see this blog post that came up just now, from Fukuoka, where Nobu performed the third recital on Feb 23. Because I wanted to post this before the Tokyo recitals, I made a translation in haste ...The reaction of this blogger is exactly what I think Nobu (and Mr. Kawakai) hope for, someone who is willing to stretch her mind to embrace unfamiliar works.
(Although I say so, I myself am not particularly fond of jazzy music :-) but I love the YouTube video at first sight.
https://ameblo.jp/endless-sorrow628/entry-12353973413.html
後半は、ガーシュインの3つの前奏曲（1923-1926年に作曲）、サティの3つのジムノペディ（1888年作曲）、カプースチンの8つの演奏会用練習曲（1984年作曲）という、サティ以外は（前半の曲よりも）現代に作曲された作品。
特にガーシュインとカプースチンの曲はジャズやブルースなどの要素がふんだんに取り入れられていて、私は辻井さんのあらたな面を発見した気がした。
特にカプースチンの曲が very cool In the second half, there are three preludes of Gershwin (composed in 1923-1926), three Satie's Gymnopedies (1888 composition), eight pieces of Kapustin etudes (composed in 1984); other than the Satie these are works composed in contemporary times). In particular, the works of Gershwin and Kapustin have plentiful elements of jazz and blues; I felt that I found Mr. Tsujii's new side.
Especially Kapustin's work was very cool.
初めて聴いたけど、超イカす～～（←イカすってもう死語！？)もらったパンフの中の川上昌裕氏（辻井さんの恩師の先生ですよね）の曲解説にも書いてあったが、（このカプースチンの曲は）「ジャズのさまざまなスタイル、スウィングやブギ・ウギ、ロックやラテン音楽の要素など、これまでのクラシック音楽では馴染みのなかった要素が新鮮に取り込まれており聴く人を飽きさせない。」 まさにそう！
身体がムズムズして踊りだしたくなります←およびでない。
Although I listened to it for the first time, it was also described in a commentary by Mr. Masahiro Kawakami (who is a teacher of Mr. Tsujii's teacher) in the brochure: (The song of this Kapustin work has) "elements that are not familiar in classical music so far, such as various styles of jazz, swing, boogie / goat[?], rock and Latin music, elements that are freshly introduced and of which listeners have not tire of hearing. "Exactly!
I want to dance with my body tumbling ← not.
This is a longish but cool blog post. I invite you to read my messy translation here => But will they "get" Kapustin?♪ February 28 Ticket battle for 2018 Miura Fumiaki × Nobuyuki Tsujii Duo Recital continued
A while back there was a blog post by someone, probably with a special connection or membership, who managed to get advance tickets for one of the two duo recitals at Tokyo's Kioi Hall.
Otherwise, you can try to get advance tickets by paying to enter a lottery, which is not always successful, as this twitter illustrates:
https://twitter.com/masakoasada/status/968428375227318273
三浦文彰くんと辻井伸行くんのデュオ・リサイタル、抽選はずれる。人気の二人だもんなー
Fumiaki Miura & Nobuyuki Tsujii duo recital, I lost out in the lottery. These two are popular.
Today tickets are on sale, on a first-come-first-serve basis
https://twitter.com/icoyuraco/status/968444428783271937 (Yura's tweet, with a clip of the duo playing Franck's sonata)
明日11時から先行先着❗️ チケットぴあ（7/25,26） 東京紀尾井ホール🎶 《デュオ・リサイタル》 🎹 辻井伸行 & 🎻 三浦文彰
Starting tomorrow [Feb 28] 11 o'clock first come first served! Pia Tickets (7/25, 26). Tokyo Kioi Hall "Duo Recital"
I imagine whatever tickets still available will be snapped up in minutes. Stay tuned.
UPDATE:
Yura tweeted just before noon that the tickets on pia were all gone. Someone replied that she got a concentrated access message, and then the tickets were declared sold out within 20 seconds.
♪ February 27/28 Notable Tweets
https://twitter.com/idee_kenkyu2/status/968391688757567488
芸術は五感を使って感じ取るものだと言う人がいるが、耳が聞こえないベートーベンや目が見えない辻井伸行などは、普通の人達には到達できない異次元の境地にいるように思われる。芸術は五感を超越した第六感というか心・魂で感じ取るものであろう
Some people say that art is a sensation using our five senses, but Beethoven who cannot hear and Nobuyuki Tsujii who cannot see seem to be in a different dimension that cannot be reached by ordinary people. Art can be perceived with a sixth sensation that transcends the ordinary sense,s or in the heart and soul.
https://twitter.com/Framboise_o0/status/968731179687055362
辻井伸行さんのピアノって他の人のとは違う。一台のピアノから出ているはずの音が多方向から聞こえてくる感じがするから、音楽を一方的に聞いているのではなくて聞き手が音楽の中に入っていくようなイメージ。
Nobuyuki Tsujii 's piano is different from that of other people. The sound coming out of one piano is heard from many directions, so it is not one-dimensional listening, but an image as if the listener is going into the music [the listener is immersed in the music].
"Handicaps do not generate special sounds. I never think like that at all. I want to be listened to as a pianist [and not a pianist with a handicap]." -- Nobuyuki Tsujii.
Those of us who do not speak Japanese never really hear what Nobu says in his own words. Although there have been many published interviews of Nobuyuki Tsujii in English, his words are usually spoken through an interpreter.
So I thought to put together on this page some of his best known quotes, originally published in Japanese -- with English translation, here => Some Nobuyuki Tsujii quotes
♪ "classical music ... has been modernised by contemporary composers such as Gerald Barry and Nobuyuki Tsujii. Nobuyuki Tsujii"
I was surprised to see Nobu mentioned on this page for an upcoming performance of the Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy; here is a screen grab -- the mention of Nobu comes at the very end.
The text says:
Distant Worlds: Music from Final Fantasy will be performing at the Davies Symphony Hall at 201 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, California. Next performance is on August 04, 2018. Doors typically open two hours before showtime - subject to change so please clarify before heading to the venue.
The classical music that we are familiar with today has roots as far back as the 11th century. Originating in the West, it enjoyed its 'Golden Age' in Europe between 1550 and 1900. It is during this period that the likes of Bach and Beethoven composed the works most often played by classical artists and orchestras today. This time in the development of classical music is also when the norms of the genre were established. Classical music is written with staff notation that lays down the pitch, speed and rhythm of the music. This gives artists very little room, if any, for improvisation or self expression within a performance. The actual term 'classical' did not come into popular use until the early 19th century. In more recent times, classical music has developed under the influence of other popular genres and has been modernised by contemporary composers such as Gerald Barry and Nobuyuki Tsujii.
I did not know about "Distant Worlds: Music From Final Fantasy" but looked it up just now. Apparently it is an album by Japanese artist Nobuo Uematsu, who composes music for video games. This concert is one in a U.S. tour and I don't believe Nobu is involved in the concerts. I have no basis for saying this, but it is possible that Avex Classics, Nobu's record label, might have something to do with the concert tour.
In 2016, Nobu composed music for a series of Studio Ghibli anime , but it is interesting that he is being mentioned in this blurb. I do think Nobu's compositions for theme music (such as his "Still we live on") merits worldwide attention.
Ironically, for some time now I have hoped to see Nobu himself perform in the Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco, to no avail so far.
♪ Feb 23 All 14 performances -- Okinawa included -- declared 完売 SOLD OUT
I took a look at Avex's home page of the debut 10 years Japan recital Tour, and now all 14 performances are declared 完売 SOLD OUT.
Let's see, that's 14 performances at venues that average 1000 seats => 14,000++ tickets. R-e-s-p-e-c-t!
♪ Feb 22 Thoughtful posts from Japan
This simple blog post comes with an image of a Japanese news article about Nobu's Debut 10 years CD.
The article is accompanied with a nice photo of Nobu, and a headline that says something about "ear" or "listening".
https://ameblo.jp/goheavengo777/entry-12355019650.html
素直な性格がピアノに反映されている。
久しぶりに聴きに行きたいな。
The straightforward personality is reflected in his piano.
I want to go to listen to him, after a long time.
https://twitter.com/yuiny0086/status/966621108949606400
日本には、辻井伸行さんという素晴らしいピアニストがいる。盲目と言うハンデが話題になったきっかけだとしても、ずば抜けた才能です。決して盲目を売りにしているわけではない。 一方、アートには「障がい者作品展」とか「障がい者アート」なんて言葉があるけど、そこを目立って差別化する意味とは何?
In Japan there is a wonderful pianist named Nobuyuki Tsujii. Although his blindness has become a convenient trigger for attention, he is an outstanding talent. He never markets his blindness. On the other hand, there are words such as "Disabled Person Work Exhibition" or "Disabled People Art" in arts, but what is the meaning to make such a distinction there?
I could not refrain from posting a reply:
From U.S.A.: Good post. There will always be people who believe that Nobuyuki Tsujii would not be so famous if he were not blind. To those willing to listen with an open mind, his music speaks for his talent.
♪ Classic FM post: How do you play a piano concerto when you’re blind?
This posting is dated Feb 19 but I noticed it just now -- it is accompanied by an easy-to-play video of the entire concert.
Nobu fan Linda wrote:
wow! This video is not only the first movement! :-) It is the entire concert from start to finish! There is the Holst, The entire concerto, and the entire Tchaikovsky Symphony!
They didn’t even cut the intermission between the selections, so you kind of have to fast forward through all the audience chatter. It is probably the best recording for sound quality of all that we have heard from this performance. It is very good!
So, please check it out =>
Nobuyuki Tsujii performed Grieg’s epic piano concerto in Liverpool earlier this month, and it was truly faultless. But without sight, how on earth does he do it?
When you’re a blind pianist, how do you go about learning such a huge piece? And how can you be expected to pick up on gestures from the conductor? For Tsujii, it’s a process governed by extremely careful listening and, as he described it in 2017, “sensing what’s around me.”
When he’s learning a new piece, Tsujii has a team of helpers break the whole piano part down into recorded chunks which he then learns bit by bit. Given the scarcity of Braille translations of musical scores, doing it by ear is usually the best method.
He also told The Telegraph in 2013 that when he’s in the middle of a performance with a symphony orchestra: “I listen very hard for the conductor's breathing. That tells me where we are in the rhythm.”
You can watch the whole performance as part of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic's livestreamed concert from earlier this month:
[video embedded]
♪ Feb 20 2018 Miura Fumiaki × Nobuyuki Tsujii Duo Recital schedule revealed
The Nobuyuki Tsujii Official Web Site has just updated its Concert Schedule(Japan), listing 8 performances of the Miura Fumiaki × Nobuyuki Tsujii Duo Recital F, 7/14-7/28, in Hokkaido Osaka, Shizuoka, Niigata, Yamagata, Tokyo(2) , Fukuoka. Notable is that the Osaka performance takes place on a Monday holiday at the Symphony Hall (1,704 seats), a huge venue for a chamber concert! A full list of the concerts, in English, can be found at => 2018 Miura Fumiaki × Nobuyuki Tsujii Duo Recital
From a posting by the online ticket site pia :
しなやかな掛け合いと激しい熱情の交差！ 若い才能の共鳴とぶつかり合いが奇跡の感動を生む！[ A cross between supple bounding and intense passions! The resonance of young talents in collaboration creates a feeling of miracles!] ^_^
Also see an amusing blog post "Ticket battle for Nobuyuki Tsujii & Fumiaki Miura recital"♪ Short video of Nobu dining at Polish restaurant in Paris
I didn't catch this video when it was first posted, on October 24, 2017. Nobu was in Paris at the time to perform a recital on October 23, which I attended.
The poster wrote:
"An incredible surprise at Polish restaurant Polska in Paris ... the young Japanese prodigy pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii, blind from birth and on tour in Paris, listening to the music of my country."
This footage did not make it to last Christmas' Fuji-TV documentary, but is reminiscent of some footage I have seen of Nobu in Warsaw in 2005 for the Chopin Piano Competition, where he also went to a Polish restaurant to listen to Polish music, for inspiration on how to play a Chopin Mazurka.
https://www.facebook.com/chez.edith/videos/1997084196985370/
♪ February 14 Happy Valentine's Day
A happy Valentine to Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii & Nobuyuki Tsujii Fans all over the world!
Image source: https://www.colourbox.com/, http://www.ilikesticker.com/Line…/W708038-Nobuyuki-Tsujii/ja
♪ Feb 18 Chopin's "Ballade No. 1"
Tweet https://twitter.com/umoresque_/status/964796573367455744 <= click link for video
羽生くんがショートで使用してるショパンの『バラード第1番』はエレガントでありながら燻し銀の如く力強いきらめきを感じる素晴らしい曲です。 3分程に編集されてましたが実際には約10分あり、難易度は10段階中10と言われています。 是非フルで聴いてみてください。 オススメは辻井伸行さんの演奏"
Mr. Hanyu skated to Chopin's "Ballade No. 1" in the Olympic short program. It is a wonderful piece. Although it was edited down to 3 minutes for that, it is actually 10 minutes long & the difficulty level is said to be 10 out of 10 levels. I recommend listening to it in full on this CD by Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii."
♪ Feb 18 Congratulations to Japan!
Mr. Hanyu and Mr. Uno won gold and silver respectively. Bravos!
♪ February 15 "it isn’t so easy to get his concert tickets"
This instagram showed up, from an English-speaker living in Japan
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfOOJIuj08r/
blessed with a great opportunity to go to Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii’s piano concert🎹😊🎶was on my bucket list for a while till i noticed it isn’t so easy to get his concert tickets😢just magnificent❣️🎹❣️ unforgettable✨
The accompanying photo shows the program of the closed concert held at Suntory Hall on Feb 13.
♪ February 15 "It was hard to keep concentration all the time."
Japan's music writer 伊熊よし子Yoshiko Ikuma was in Liverpool to cover Nobu's U.K. performances (Feb 1 - Feb 4) for a magazine.
In her February 15 blog post she wrote about the concerts with two photos, one each of Nobu and Vasily Petrenko
http://yoshikoikuma.sblo.jp/article/182423856.html
... In Liverpool, this Rachmaninoff 's concerto and Grieg' s piano concerto was recorded.
A rehearsal and recording session was held on February 3rd, and on Feb 4th,in a super-tight schedule, a concert and a recording session was held.
Nobuyuki Tsujii said when I interviewed him on the final day, "It was very hard to keep concentration all the time."
I also spoke to Maestro Petrenko between recordings. Even before he came to Japan I knew he as a very nice person, but this time he talked about lots of things eloquently. I [also possibly he] was amazed by the overcrowded schedule...
♪ February 14 The mysterious 2018 Kanazawa "Spring Green Festival"
Late last year word came that Nobu will be performing at the 2018 Kanazawa "Spring Green Festival" with Vladimir Ashkenazy.
I followed up on it today. The concert schedule for the festival has apparently been decided, according to a tweet that came with the photo bleow, but it does not appear on the festival's home page. I had to use a magnifying glass (digitally, that is), but I believe Nobu's concert is scheduled for Thursday May 3rd 18:10, performing Mozart's Piano Concerto No. 21 with Ashkenazy and the Orchestra Ensemble Kanazawa (OEK).
It is notable that the concert date falls between Nobu's U.K. performances with the Liverpool Phil (April 26, 27) and the start of his Japan tour with that orchestra on May 11.
More at => The mysterious 2018 Kanazawa "Spring Green Festival"
♪ Meet someone who translated for Nobu
Kudos to Nobu fan sunsoon for yet another great find. This is an instagram posted recently by takmelo, who wrote, in English:
https://www.instagram.com/p/BfH4du1j3RC/
"I still remember til this day the privilege I had of translating for this wonderful pianist Mr Tsujii. I still listen to his works fairly often. Thankful that I met him! #tsujiinobuyuki #辻井伸行 #piano #music#365photochallenge #365thankful".
The undated photo shows a bespectacled young man of about Nobu's same age and sporting a similar haircut. He and Nobu are pictured standing in a luxurious setting -- a resort somewhere? -- next to a large swimming pool. It is not clear if takmelo-san served as Nobu's interpreter, or if he helped to transcribe music from paper to audio recordings for Nobu. In any case, it speaks well for Nobu that he is so fondly remembered.
I asked, and the poster wrote back: "This was taken in Tennessee when he came over to play after winning the Van Cliburn Piano competition :)" So, it was taken in 2009.
♪ February 14 Mozart "Coronation" Cadenzas by Nobuyuki Tsujii
American Nobu fan Linda wrote:
"I just ordered the CD with the Orpheus chamber Orchestra, with the Mozart 'Coronation' and the Beethoven 'Emperor'. I was just trying to read the back of the [jewel case of the CD.] Do I understand that Nobu wrote his own cadenzas for the Mozart?"
I looked, and indeed on the back of the case it says
"PIANO CONCERTO NO. 26 IN D MAJOR, K.537 'CORONATION'(CADENZAS: NOBUYUKI TSUJII)"
I took some photos of the cover to make the point, but it turns out I already have a great photo of it, from a tweet posted by Yura in 2015.
So the matter had been brought to my attention before. I don't know why I paid so little attention to that at the time!
It is not uncommon for pianists to provide their own cadenzas when performing Mozart's piano concertos.
According to wikipedia,
Mozart's fame as an improviser has led many to suggest that the cadenzas ... were extensively improvised by him during performance. However, against this must be set the fact that Mozart's own cadenzas are preserved for the majority of the concertos, and may have existed for others (e.g., the now missing cadenzas for No. 20, K. 466 and No. 21, K. 467 are possibly mentioned by his father in letters to his sister in 1785[11]). On the other hand, the cadenzas were not supplied as part of the concerto to the publishers, and it would no doubt have been expected that other pianists would supply their own. As might be expected, opinion is sharply divided, with some commentators (notably Hutchings) strongly urging the use of Mozart's own cadenzas when available, and when not for cadenzas to be like Mozart's, especially as far as length goes (i. e. short).
By the way, Linda got her copy of the CD from U.S. Amazon. Kudos to her for noticing the mention and, mind you, Linda is -- like Nobu -- blind from birth.
There is good information about the CD, including listening samples, on CDJapan.
Nobu will be performing this Mozart concerto again this June in Japan:
June 11 19:00 Tokyo Orchard Hall Super Soloist concert Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 and No. 26. With the Tokyo Philharmonic and conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama.
♪ February 14 音楽の友Friends of Music Magazine
Tweet by the chief editor of Japan's 音楽の友"Friends of Music" monthly magazine:
https://twitter.com/pochi10629/status/963665208395825153
3月号（2月17日発売）見本誌到着しました（ホっ…）。表紙は5月にロイヤル・リヴァプール・フィルを率いて来日するワシリー・ペトレンコさん（共演は辻井伸行さんp、三浦文彰さんvn）。巻頭グラビアでは氏のインタヴュー記事、特集は「アメリカのオーケストラの現在」。あと３日お待ち下さいませ〜
"March edition (on sale Feb 17) are going out. The cover is Mr. Vasily Petrenko, who will be lead the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra in May (Nobuyuki Tsujii piano , Miura Fumiaki violin)."
♪ February 14 "73,761 views"
I just checked this Royal Liverpool Philharmonic page to see if the Grieg's concerto video is still available. It is; thank you.
http://www.liverpoolphil.com/live-streamed-concerts
However, compared to a previous performance that was also streamCast (in January), the view count for the Feb 4 performance with Nobu as soloist is considerably lower (74K compared to 96K), and the number of likes are 2.4K compared to 3.4K.
Well, I am always skeptical about these web counts, but this is a little disappointing nevertheless.
I hope this is not discouraging to the orchestra and we do look forward to the April 26 streamCast.
♪ February 13 YouTube video of Feb 4 Greig's concerto
The entire performance of Nobu's Feb 4 performance of Grieg's concerto with the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic & conductor Vasily Petrenko can now be viewed on a video that someone has recently uploaded to YouTube.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxEYIVLFPIo
UPDATE I have heard from American Nobu fan Linda, who wrote, "This YouTube video is a big disappointment because it may be, sound wise, the best video from last weeks performance. But it is not whole. The person went through the piece and made blatant cuts! The cuts are by no means discreet, and it’s very disappointing !" So, please keep that in mind if you watch this video.
The official on-demand video is still available at
http://www.liverpoolphil.com/live-streamed-concerts
https://www.facebook.com/ClassicFM/videos/10156309264209260/
♪♪ February 13 A closed concert in Suntory Hall
Lest we think Nobu might be frantically practicing for his upcoming very challenging recitals -- tweets came up about a closed performance that took place in Suntory Hall.
Performances like this are usually held for some private organizations to celebrate certain events or to raise fund.
https://twitter.com/kannna75/status/963404283663101952
チケットをいただいたので人生初ピアノコンサートに行ってまいりましたわよ〜辻井伸行さん
I got a ticket so I went to the first piano concert in my life - Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii
Two accompanying photos show the concert program. The first half are solo works by Nobu, same as those he will play in the first half of the upcoming recitals.
The second half starts with an orchestral overture then Grieg's Piano Concerto.
https://twitter.com/KosukeTsunoda/status/963416949647540227
[tweet by conductor 角田鋼亮 Kosuke Tsunoda]
今日はサントリーホールで辻井伸行さん、東京交響楽団とクローズドコンサート。辻井さんとは先月も同じグリーグのピアノ協奏曲で共演しましたが、その時とはまた音色や音楽の流れを変えられていて、とても新鮮でした。前半の『月の光』や『水の戯れ』なども直接感覚に訴えるような演奏で素敵でした。
Today is Suntory Hall, Nobuyuki Tsujii , Tokyo Symphony Orchestra and closed concert. I played with Mr. Tsujii in the same Grieg Piano Concerto last month, it was just as also fresh but there was a change in tone and the music flow. It was nice with a performance that appeals directly to the senses, such as "Clair de Lune" and "Jeux d'eau" in the first half.
https://twitter.com/mogami_oboe/status/963396116388573185 [tweet by an oboist]
今日はサントリーホールで辻井伸行君のクローズドコンサート。グリーグの協奏曲の間、僕はずっと彼の表情を見ながら演奏しました。彼にはどんな景気が浮かんでいたんだろう…。優しく、暖かい演奏。素晴らしかった。
Today at Suntory Hall, a closed concert by Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii . During Grieg's concerto, I played while watching his expressions. I wonder what kind of scenary was floating in him .... Gentle, warm performance. It was wonderful.
♪ Meet someone who translates for Nobu
Kudos to Nobu fan sunsoon for yet another great find. This is an instagram posted recently by takmelo, who wrote, in English:
"I still remember til this day the privilege I had of translating for this wonderful pianist Mr Tsujii. I still listen to his works fairly often. Thankful that I met him! #tsujiinobuyuki #辻井伸行 #piano #music#365photochallenge #365thankful".
The undated photo shows a spectacled young man of about Nobu's same age and sporting a similar haircut. He and Nobu are pictured standing in a luxurious setting -- a resort somewhere? -- next to a large swimming pool. The young man is apparently among the people who helped to transcribe music from paper to audio recording for Nobu.
Tap this link to see the photo => https://www.instagram.com/p/BfH4du1j3RC/
♪ February 12 DEBUT RECITAL IN LONDON, JANUARY 2019
Today's news search yielded a whopper!
This marks Nobu's debut recital in London, where he has performed with orchestras but never in a solo recital.
Satie, Debussy & Chopin: Nobuyuki Tsujii
Wed 30th Jan at 7:30pm
Nobuyuki Tsujii
@ Queen Elizabeth Hall, London
International Piano Series
Nobuyuki Tsujii - piano
Satie - 3 Gymnopédies
Debussy - Images, Set 1
Ravel - Sonatine
Chopin - Scherzo No.1 in B minor, Op.20; Scherzo No.2 in B flat minor, Op.31; Scherzo No.3 in C sharp minor, Op.39; Scherzo No.4 in E, Op.54
Holy cow -- that is a jaw-dropping KILLER program!
I have checked with Nobu's manager, Mr. Nick Asano, who confirmed that this engagement is for real.
And, tickets are available for purchase NOW; the best seats are already taken.
Yes, I got mine ^_^ => https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/122017-nobuyuki-tsujii-satie-debussy-chopin-2019
and I started a page for this recital => Nobuyuki Tsujii recital at Queen E Hall, London, 1.30.2019
♪ February 11 Nobuyuki Tsujii "sees"
Some years ago I wrote a piece in which I hypothesized that Nobuyuki Tsujii "sees" the piano keyboard => Nobuyuki Tsujii "Sees"
I finally have had a chance to take a look at the three Liszt Transcendental etude videos posted by Avex last week, and to me, it is Q.E.D. (the proof is complete).
I am generally not a big fan of Franz Liszt's big-bang show pieces, but I think even the Hungarian composer would be astonished by Nobu's performance of his Mazeppa, which is truly awe inspiring.
A New York Times critic once asserted that Nobu "must precisely calculate every move to ensure that his fingers are above the correct keys." How wrong she was!
♪ February 10 A time of Elegance
https://twitter.com/s_m_a_p5/status/962540312592728065
辻井伸行くんのアルバム届いた今日は久しぶりに何もない。珈琲でも飲みながら優雅な時間を過ごせる
Albums of Nobuyuki' Tsujii arrived. Today is the first time in a long while that I can spend a time of elegance drinking coffee [and listening].
Nobu's two albums were released on January 31 -- and the two together would have set the Twitter back about 200USD. But that apparently has not deterred Nobu's loyal fans in Japan.
Both albums are selling well.
♪ February 10 Super Soloists 2018 Tickets Sales
Today at 10AM in Japan, tickets came on general sales for all three individual shows.
Below is a screen grab of the pia ticket site at noon -- it shows Nobu's performance as having sold out while the other two have not.
I don't mean any disrespect to the other two fine "super soloists" (violinists Tamaki Kawakubo & Fumiaki Miura), but it is clear who is the biggest draw in Japan.
Nobu performs two Mozart piano concertos (#21 adn #26) at this June 11 concert.
♪ February 10 Nobu fans love the new look of Nobu's HarrisonParrot page
Nobu fan sunsoon tweeted that there are new portraits of Nobu on his page by his management firm outside Japan
There are 6 portrait photos in the album, 5 of which are in black-and-white and European flavored, such as the one below.
In this photo, you can see some stubble above his lips on Nobu's slightly unshaven face ^_^ perhaps by design of the photographer.
Personally, I find the constantly moving and unstoppable photo album irritating, and I prefer Avex's publicity photos by Mr. Yuji Hori, but that's just me.
The page is here => Nobu's HarrisonParrot page
♪ February 9 Nobu's HarrisonParrot page has a new look
Nobu fan sunsoon tweeted that there are new portraits of Nobu on his page by his management firm outside Japan
There are 6 portrait photos in the album, 5 of which are in black-and-white and European favored, such as the one below.
Personally, I find the constantly moving and unstoppable photo album irritating, and I prefer Avex's publicity photos by Mr. Yuji Hori, but that's just me.
The page is here => Nobu's HarrisonParrot page
♪ February 9 Album being sold in Thailand ... as JPOP
It's good to see this tweet posted by Thailand's online music store, qikplay, promoting Nobu's Beethoven album, but, amusingly, listing it as JPOP (Japan Pop Music)!
Beethoven is surely rolling in his grave.
https://twitter.com/qikplay/status/961879881515597826
QikDigital แฟนๆ #JPOP ดาวน์โหลดอัลบั้ม 'Beethoven: 《Pathétique》《Moonlight》《Appassionata》' จากศิลปิน #NobuyukiTsujii ซึ่งเป็นนักเปียโนชั้นสูงผู้บกพร่องทางสายตา แต่กลับถ่ายทอดความไพเราะจากหัวใจได้อย่างงดงาม ได้ที่ ► http://bit.ly/2Exn5Xn
♪ February 5 Liszt Transcendental etude video posted by Avex
Back in January someone posted this question on reddit "Do you think Nobuyuki Tsujii could learn the entire set of Transcendental Etudes by Liszt?"
I posted a reply saying that indeed Nobu played 3 of those etudes at his 2017 premium recitals, but I had no proof except for a photo of the concert program.
But now, just today, we have YouTube videos: Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Liszt's Transcendental Etudes
This is so unexpected. Avex (Nobu's record label) has posted THREE high-quality videos of Nobu's performance of some of Liszt's Transcendental Etudes last year (7.27.2107 in Tokyo's Kioi Hall).
I never had a chance to hear these etudes -- I was hoping to hear them in Paris last year but the program was changed -- so this is quite a pleasant surprise!
Coming on the heels of a very exciting week of great successes of the release (Jan 31) of two best-seller albums & rousing U.K. performances (Feb 1 - Feb 4), not to mention the numerous excellent year-end TV specials that we enjoyed before that -- these videos are almost an embarrassment of richness. It's good to be a Nobu-fan. I am drunk with happiness.
Thank you, Avex!
You can watch the videos below. And they are also collected on a page here => Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Liszt's Transcendental Etudes
And now I see that Avex has posted a news page that contains these videos => http://avex.jp/classics/news/detail.php?cd=TUJIN&id=1058260
Links to the 3 videos:
辻井伸行 / リスト： 超絶技巧練習曲集 より 第4曲 マゼッパ Transcendental etude No. 4 Mazeappa
辻井伸行 / リスト： 超絶技巧練習曲集 より 第5曲 鬼火Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Liszt's Transcendental etude No. 5 "Feux follets"
辻井伸行 / リスト： 超絶技巧練習曲集 より 第11曲 夕べの調べ Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Liszt's Transcendental etude No. 11 Harmonies du soir
Miyuki wrote: "And I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw your note about Avex uploading 3 transcendental etudes to Youtube - it was like my dream came true! Of course Nobu's performance of them is superb and I hope he will play all of the 12 etudes sometime in the future."
♪ 2018 Miura Fumiaki × Nobuyuki Tsujii Duo Recital
UPDATE Feb 6
Two Tokyo performances have been announced by TicketSpace. This is in addition to the Fukuoka show on 7/28 previously announced.
Yup, this is shaping up to be a nationwide tour.
http://www.ints.co.jp/tsujii-miura2018/index.htm
7/25(Program A), 7/26(Program B) Kioi Hall 紀尾井ホール
Miura Fumiaki × Nouyuki Tsujii
三浦文彰×辻井伸行
Program A
ブラームス：ヴァイオリン･ソナタ第1番 ト長調 作品78《雨の歌》
Brahms: The Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 "Rain sonata"
Program B
フランク：ヴァイオリン・ソナタ イ長調
Frank: Violin Sonata in A major
February 5, 2018
A big thanks to Nobu fan Shinobu for spotting a concert announcement
https://twitter.com/ShinobuOyashiki/status/960517075176271873
We have already seen an announcement on ticket site pia of this concert, so this is not a surprise.
However, now we have details of the performance program, and it's a good one. It is reasonable to expect this performance to be one stop on a Japan tour, especially since the concert is sponsored by a major corporation, Sekisui Heim (home builder in Japan), so stay tuned for more.
http://www.kbc.co.jp/event/detail.html?id=180
<Kyushu Asahi Broadcasting Foundation 65th Anniversary>
Sekisui Heim presents Miura Fumiaki × Tsujii Nobuyu Duo Recital
July 28, 2018 (Saturday) 2 p.m.
【Venue】 Fukuoka Symphony Hall (ACROS Fukuoka)
【Program】
Fumiaki Miura: Bach: No accompaniment Violin · Partitta No. 3 major key BWV 1006
Nobuyuki Tsujii: Beethoven: Piano · Sonata No. 14 Op. 27-2 " Moonlight "
Fumiaki Miura×Nobuyuki Tsujii: Brahms: The Violin Sonata No. 1 in G major, Op. 78 "Rain sonata"
【general release date】 March 11 (Sun)
More to come -- please stay tuned!
Here is a YouTube video (no animation) of a performance of the Brahms sonata by Itzhak Perlman & Vladimir Ashkenazy.
♪ FEB 4 A nod from "Slipped Disc"
The Liverpool Philharmonic video got a notice from Mr. Norman Lebrecht on his very popular classical-music blog "slipped disc"
http://slippedisc.com/2018/02/watch-live-grieg-concerto-played-live-by-nobu-who-is-blind/
"Watch live: Grieg concerto played live by Nobu, who is blind" "Extraordinary. His name is Nobuyuki Tsujii.
February 4 MORE GOOD NEWS
The Liverpool Phil posted this note after today's livestream:
"The amazing Nobuyuki Tsujii will join Chief Conductor Vasily Petrenko & the Royal Liverpool Phil again on Thursday 26 April 7.30pm for the Petrenko's Shostakovich concert, which WILL ALSO BE LIVE STREAMED."
And that's the orchestra's next livestream.
Aren't we lucky? I am speechless with gratitude. If I were not so worn out from the day's excitement, I would be jumping up and down.
Program of that concert: Shostakovich Symphony No . 5, Tchaikovsyky's Piano Concerto no. 1, and Walton's Johannesburg Festival Overture.
As you can see in the photo below: Tickets for that performance have sold well -- only "limited" remain.
However, there is another performance on the next day, Friday April 27 at 1:30 PM -- and that one has PLENTY of unsold seats. I wonder why!
More at => Nobuyuki Tsujii with Petreko & RLPO, April 2018
♪ February 5 Beethoven album currently the top classical album on iTunes Japan
https://twitter.com/appmusicbook/status/960641900544851968
Beethoven:《悲愴》《月光》《熱情》 - 辻井伸行 http://ift.tt/2BYbJpZ iTunes Store: Classicalのトップアルバム
Beethoven "Pathetique" "Moonlight" "Appassionata" - Nobuyuuki Tsujii, Classical top album on Japan iTunes
♪A weekend full of luxury
https://twitter.com/aomidori0027/status/959397193135276032 (sumie on Twitter)
部屋暗くしててスマホ切ってココア淹れたら準備OK。今から「辻井伸行ベートーベン3大ソナタ」をじっくり聴く🎹明日はCD💿DVD宝箱🎼さらに日曜夜には🇬🇧リヴァプールから生配信とか？！耳にご馳走、豪華フルコースの満ち足りた週末になりそうです😋チケットも届いた🎀
Dimming the room and get the hot chocolate ready. I am now going to listen carefully to "Nobuyuki Tsujii's 3 Beautiful Sonatas." Tomorrow will be CD/DVD Deluxe Box Set. And on Sunday evening live stream-cast from U.K. Liverpool ? It is going to be a full weekend full of luxury, a feast for the ear. Concert tickets also arrived.
♪ February 2 Brisk sales of New CDs
Nobu's two newly released albums, the Beethoven Sonata the "Debut 10 Years" deluxe box set, are vying with each other as classical music best sellers.
On Amazon Japan, the Beethoven album is the top best seller in chamber & instrument music, and back-ordered!
By the way, it has been reported that the Beethoven album is being sold on U.S. Amazon for an exorbitant price (>100USD), may I suggest that you take a look elsewhere instead -- see information on this page => Beethoven Sonata
♪ A new concert announced: July 28 with violinist Fumiaki Miura
This announcement is found on the pia ticket site
http://ticket.pia.jp/pia/ticketInformation.do?eventCd=1800869&rlsCd=001&lotRlsCd=
三浦文彰（ｖｌ）／辻井伸行（ｐ）
2018/7/28(土)14:00 福岡シンフォニーホール
発売開始：2018/3/11(日) 10:00～
Fumiaki Miura (vl) / Nobuyuki Tsujii (p)
2018/7/28 (Sat) 14: 00 Fukuoka Symphony Hall
Release start: Sunday, March 11, 2018 (Sunday) 10: 00 ~
I suspect this is but one performance on a tour -- there should be other shows. Stay tuned.
♪ Nobu and Vladimir Askenazy back in May
Nobu is performing with Russian conductor Vasily Petrenko in the U.K. now, whom he greatly respects. But there is another Russian maestro with whom Nobu has an ongoing friendship, conductor Vladimir Askenazy. (Nobu also performs regularly with Valery Gergiev and very recently, Vladimir Jurowski of the London Phil.)
The photo below was posted to Instagram shortly after the performance of Nobu with Maestro Ashkenazy last May in Berlin, but it came to my attention only just now, thanks to Nobu fan sunsoon.
It is an excellent photo of Vladimir Ashkenazy guiding Nobuyuki Tsujii on stage, in the Berlin Philharmonic.
The person who took the photo must have been seated in the front row and have had a perfect angle for the photo.
I especially like the comment: "Two generations of genius in one night."
https://www.instagram.com/p/BUIS9fnFbRV/?hl=ja&taken-by=dkermani
In the picture, Maestro Ashkenazy looks a little awkward as his right hand grabs Nobu's right hand, perhaps in the midst of placing Nobu's hand on the piano -- he really should have been grabbing Nobu's left hand instead.
♪ Nobuyuki Tsujii English Wikipedia Page
UPDATED Feb 2 2018: New repertoire addition (Rachmaninov's Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini) & new album (Beethoven Pathetique, Moonlight, Appassiona