Notable web postings - June 2018
Continued from Notable web postings - May 2018
Older notable web postings are collected at Notable web postings archival
♪ Congratulations to Nobuyuki Tsujii for shining so brightly at the Stars of the White Nights Festival
=> Nobuyuki Tsujii at White Nights of St. Petersburg 2018
♪ June 2018 -- what a month for Nobuyuki Tsujii!
The month of June is drawing to a close, and by now I think Nobu is back in his Tokyo home and taking a much deserved rest.
But what a month this has been. I was fortunate to enjoy some of the excitement in Vienna at the very beginning of the month; little did I imagine what was yet to unfold ahead.
Here is a rundown of all the excitements:
June 2-5 with Yutaka Sado & the Vienna Tonkuenstler Orchestra in Austria
June 9 "Untitled Concert" broadcast
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.
June 13 19: 00 Tokyo Suntory Hall Special concert for the film "Forest of Wool & Steel"
June 14 18:00 Performance with Yutaka Sado at 南宗寺 Nanshū-ji Temple, Osaka
June 15 20:00 Appearance on Asahi TV Music Stations s-- "Dream of Lambs"
June 20-25 Nobuyuki Tsujii at White Nights of St. Petersburg 2018
Nobu has accomplished in one month more than many of us in a life time. A head-spinning experience like that might inflate the ego of most people, but I trust that Nobu's down-to-earthiness and sincerity will spare him of that. It should be said that Nobu would not possibly have been able to do that without the loyal support of his family (his mother Mrs. Itsukos Tsujii was with him in both Austria and Russia) and his staff (Mr. Nick Asano and his colleagues) -- but what thrill and excitement that they get in return!
More at => June 2018 -- what a month for Nobuyuki Tsujii!
♪ June 28 "Who are the best blind musicians in history?"
I take articles like this with a large grain of salt, but this one is in French, and the author earns my respect by getting Nobu's facts straight and choosing a recent and good quality YouTube video of Nobu to embed into the article. (And Nobu is the only classical musician on the list.)
https://jack.canal.fr/articles/lire/qui-sont-les-meilleurs-musiciens-aveugles-de-l-histoire
Qui sont les meilleurs musiciens aveugles de l'histoire ?
Thomas Ducres
June 28, 2018
... 6. Nobuyuki Tsujii. À deux ans, le Japonais aveugle de naissance se voit offrir un piano à queue en version jouet ; à quatre, « Nobu » mémorise tout de tête ; à dix il se produit sur scène ; à 21 il remporte le premier prix du Concours international Van Cliburn et, à 29 ans, il devient une méga star du piano. Rien à dire, Nobuyuki Tsujii court dans la même catégorie que Michel Petrucciani, celle du « toi-même, fais-le ».
" No 6. Nobuyuki Tsujii -- At two years old, the Japanese, blind from birth, was given a toy grand piano; at four, "Nobu" memorized everything in his head; at ten he performed on stage; at 21 he won the first prize of the Van Cliburn International Competition; and at 29, he has become a mega star of the piano. Nothing to say, Nobuyuki Tsujii runs in the same category as Michel Petrucciani, that of "be yourself and do it".
♪ June 27 "Documentário Nobuyuki Tsujii"
This 2-minute video just showed up on YouTube
The title is in Portuguese - I am not sure if it's an authorized "documentary" -- it seems to be a display of photos and video from online sources without attribution, to a soundtrack of I believe of Nobu's performance of Chopin's nocturne #20.
June 25 Pop-up recital in Repino, Saint Petersburg
The surprise bonus (pop-up!) recital, to be held in a brand new seaside concert hall built by conductor Valery Gergiev himself, takes place TODAY June 25 at 16:00.
Admissions are granted to the first 120 requests by comments posted to this post on Mr. Gergiev's facebook page =>
https://www.facebook.com/valery.gergiev/posts/10156474639133535
Nobu will perform works by Chopin/Liszt/Debussy/Ravel/Kapustin.
More at => Nobusyukis Tsujii's bonus performance in Repino, St. Petersburg June 25 2018
It was well after midnight June 24 (after the completion of Nobu's recital) when Mr. Nick Asano sent me a note and alerted me to this fresh posting on the website of the Mariinsky.
June 21 Nobu on Russian TV
Nobuyuki Tsujii appeared on St. Petersburg cultural news 21-06-2018:
"Amazing hearing compensates for vision. The festival 'Stars of the White Nights' in Mariinsky was boosted by the phenomenal Japanese pianist Nobuyuki Tsuji."
See the original video posted by www.rtr.spb.ru at http://www.rtr.spb.ru/vesti_spb/news_detail_v.asp?id=28128
Nobu's segment is at time mark 5:37, which includes brief footage of the performance, of Nobu talking (dubbed in Russian), and of a beautiful bouquet being presented to him by a young female.
An excerpt of that segment can be viewed at => Nobuyuki Tsujii at White Nights of St. Petersburg 2018
or on YouTube => https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6a-j_HsB_4
June 25 A plug for the Japan-Sweden celebration concert
スウェーデン大使館 @EmbSweTokyo (Sweden Embassy in Tokyo) tweet
https://twitter.com/EmbSweTokyo/status/1011092692007186432
9月にサカリ・オラモ指揮 ロイヤル・ストックホルム・フィルハーモニー管弦楽団 スウェーデン日本国交150周年記念コンサート が開催されます。辻井伸行氏との共演も！ご予約はお早めに。
In September, the Sakari Oramo Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra will hold a 150th anniversary concert Sweden Japan diplomatic relations. The co-starring with Mr. Nobuyuki Tsujii!
Book early.
NOTE: The concert featuring Nobu was sold out instantly. More at => Japan-Sweden celebration concert
♪ Franck's violin sonata -- video
With so much news lately, it is easy to overlook this footage of Franck's violin sonata by Nobu and pal Fumiaki Miura, which was performed back in February and broadcast on the "Untitled Concert" TV program earlier this month. I myself only just now got around to watching this video closely.
It is a terrific performance. I am not sure if their interpretation of the work is conventional; these two young guys envision the piece as a dialog between two lovers. ^_^ A Nobu fan very kindly provided a transcript of some of what is said by on the show, which you can read at http://mlliu2006.blogspot.com/2018/05/nobu-funi-june-9-2018-untitled-concert.html => Franck's sonata -- Nobuyuki Tsujii and Fumiaki Miura 2018
Video link => https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=BaPpxAHPWNs
♪ Nobuyuki Tsujii at White Nights of St. Petersburg 2018
He already has a pretty busy summer schedule, and now -- two more concert -- in St. Petersburg, Russia, in June.
I believe these are events under the "White Nights Festival", at which Nobu first performed in year 2012.
June 20 20:00 Mariinsky Theater II, St. Petersburg,. Beethoven's "Emperor" with Valery Gergiev and the Mariinsky Theater Orchestra https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2018/6/20/2_2000
June 24 20:00 St. Petersburg concert hall, Russia. Recital (Chopins, Debussy, Liszt,s Gerswin, Kapustin) https://www.mariinsky.ru/en/playbill/playbill/2018/6/24/3_2001
At the solo recital, he will play the entire 8 concert etudes of Nikolai Kapustin -- in the living composer's home country!
♪ Fumiaki Miura will also be in St. Petersburg
It has been mentioned by Mr. Kawakami on his blog that Mr. Miura will also perform in St. Petersburg.
The schedule is now set.
Mariinskys Theatres 2018 White Nights St. Petersburg scheduled
June 20 Valery Gergiev & Nobuyuki Tsujii
June 22 Fumiaki Miura &Valery Gergiev
June 24 Nobuyuki Tsujii recital
♪ June 27 "Documentário Nobuyuki Tsujii"
This 2-minute video just showed up on YouTube
The title is in Portuguese - I am not sure if it's an authorized "documentary" -- it seems to be a display of photos and video from online sources without attribution, to a soundtrack of I believe of Nobu's performance of Chopin's nocturne #20.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vgdP1UlKrMs
♪ Nobu's Satie-Debussy-Ravel-Chopin recitals this winter in Europe
One more recital has shown up on the web: Feb 17 19:30 - Fürth - Stadttheater Fürth
The other known ones are Paris (12.17.18), London (1.30.19), Berlin (2.14.19), Stuttgart (2.16.19)
The program is
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
Tickets have been on sale. I have my ticket to the one in London.
Information at => Nobuyuki Tsujii recitals in Europe - Winter 2018/19
♪ June 13 Yoshiko Ikuma blog post
Nobu is mentioned again on the blog of music writer Ikuma-san, who wrote that she went to an interview with Vladimir Ashkenazy as soon as she returned to Japan from Vienna. I was surprised to read that she considers Ashkenazy a difficult interviewee, but it is interesting what she wrote about his reaction to her question about Nobu.
http://yoshikoikuma.sblo.jp/article/183531569.html
アシュケナージは、今秋アイスランド交響楽団とともに来日ツアーを行う(11月3日、8日、16日)。ソリストは辻井伸行である。その話を聞くためのインタビューである(家庭画報)。
いつもながら音楽の話はせずに、さまざまな方面に話題が広がっていく。夫人も同席し、半分以上は彼女が質問に答えてくれた。
ただし、辻井伸行に関しては、大いに口がなめらかだった。アシュケナージは、辻井さんの話題になると、表情がとても柔和になる。「NOBUはいいピアニストだよねえ、性格もいいし。あんなに純粋に音楽と向き合っている人は、近ごろ珍しいんじゃないの」といっていた。
夫人も、「そうそう、そうなのよ。いつも私はその真摯な姿勢に感動してしまうわ」と話していた。
アイスランド交響楽団との共演で、辻井伸行はショパンのピアノ協奏曲第2番と、ラフマニノフのピアノ協奏曲第2番を演奏する。両曲とも、ピアニストとしてのアシュケナージが得意とするコンチェルトである。どんなコラボレーションが生まれるのか、興味は尽きない
Ashkenazi will perform a Japan tour with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra this fall (November 3, 8, 16). The soloist is Nobuyuki Tsujii. The interview was for a story on that (for the Home Pictorial magazine).
As usual, the topic spreads to various fields. Mrs. Ashkenzy accompanied him and she answered more than half of the questions.
However, with regard to Nobuyuki Tsujii, his mouth was smooth. Ashkenzy becomes very gentle when facing topic about Mr. Tsujii. "NOBU is a nice pianist, personality is also nice. It is rare these days to see such purity in music," he said.
His wife also said, "Oh yeah, that's right, we are always touched by that serious attitude."
In collaboration with the Icelandic Symphony Orchestra, Nobuyuki Tsujii will play Chopin's Piano Concerto No. 2 and Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No. 2. Both works are concertos with which Ashkenazi excelled as a pianist.
The Japan Tour with Iceland Symphony Orchestra is actually scheduled for November 3-18, see 2018 Japan Tour with Iceland Symphony Orchestra
♪ "Nobuyuki Tsujii gives thanks to piano tuners"
A new interview that just came up, with some new information and three photos.
https://thepage.jp/detail/20180611-00000011-wordleaf
辻井伸行、様々なピアノと出合う楽しみ支える「調律師さんの仕事に感謝」
Nobuyuki Tsujii gives thanks to piano tuners
"Pianist Nobuyuki Tsujii is fascinated by and collaborated with Mr. Joe Hisaishi on the ending theme music for the movie 'Forest of Sheep & Steel'."
"We [pianists] make a concert with the tuner and audience. So I do understand the tuner in this movie; I depend on the tuner for my concerts."
"Although classical music has lots of critics, it is said that he does not care much about reviews but rather worries about the reaction of the audience who has come to listen to his music directly."
"I hear applause coming down like a shower from the top; in such a big hall I always think that I am happy to play in front of you. "
For a translation of the whole piece, please visit => "Nobuyuki Tsujii gives thanks to piano tuners"
UPDATE: U.S. writer, editor and lecturer Annik LaFarg mentioned this article in a June 13 tweet
https://twitter.com/AnnikLaFarge/status/1006866709658169344
Annik La Farge Retweeted NobuTsujiiFan
Lovely interview about the relationship between pianist and tuner by one of my favorite contemporary pianists, Nobuyuki Tsujii
♪ June 11 19:00 Tokyo Orchard Hall (2,150 seats) Super Soloist concert Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 and No. 26.
Nobu performed Mozart Piano Concerto No. 21 and No. 26. with the Tokyo Philharmonic and conductor Kazuyoshi Akiyama.
Comments and photos collected at => 2018 Super Soloist concert
This tweet that came up right after the performance says it all:
https://twitter.com/yasogawa55/status/1006174393951612928
オーチャードホールで「辻井伸行playsモーツァルト」。協奏曲21番と26番 ＜戴冠式＞ではオーケストラに負けない力強く正確無比な音に驚く。ひとつひとつの音が際立って美しく、まさに至福の世界。アンコールの「月の光」（ドビュッシー）も素晴らしく、日本が誇る天才ピアニストの演奏を堪能した。
At Orchard Hall "Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Mozart". Concerto No. 21 and 26 <"coronation">; I was surprised by the power and accuracy, and the unmatched sound that cannot be overwhelmed by the orchestra. Every single sound is outstandingly beautiful, just a world of bliss. Encore's "Moonlight" (Debussy) was also wonderful and I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of a genius pianist that Japan is proud of.
And it was especially good to read a detailed blog post from a concert goer who mentions, among other things
The piano concertos is a clear sound typical of Mr. Tsujii. When I heard him in January he seemed a bit tired. And I felt as if there was also a shortage of power so that his sound was overwhelmed by the orchestra, but on this day there was something called Mozart and it was really nice.
A translation of the post can be found at => 2018 Super Soloist concert
♪ The Musikverein (Viennas's Golden Hall)
Japan's music writer Yoshiko Ikuma was in Vienna to cover, for a magazine, Nobu's June 2-5 performances with Yutaka Sado & the Vienna Tonkuenstler Orchestra in Austria.
She updated her blog on June 10 in a post about Vienna's famed Musikverin (Concert Hall for Friends of Music, the "Golden Hall"), with a photo.
http://yoshikoikuma.sblo.jp/article/183503844.html
ウィーン楽友協会「黄金のホール」
Vienna Musikverein Golden Hall
This hall is known for its wonderful acoustics, and even when listening to the rehearsals of the Vienna Tonkunstler Orchestra conducted by Yutaka Sado, I was fascinated by a mellow and refined sound delivered to the audience like parabolic arcs from the stage.
Former artistic director Thomas Enghin told me previously, "Since this hall is hollowed down and there is nothing on top, the whole acoustics sounds like a contrabass, and a wonderful sound is born." With Nobuyuki Tsujii 's Ravel piano concerto, the piano sound is clear and refreshing from the beginning; every single rhythm is resonated very clearly.
The fusion of the sound with the orchestra is also natural, and I felt a sense that Ravel's exquisite and stylish music that was rich in esprit was delivered straight to the heart of the listener. As this concerto has possibly a jazzy atmosphere, Mr. Tsujii's fondness of jazz from a young age also stands out.
In his interview, he spoke of the sound of this hall and said, "I am happy to be able to play here, it is like a dream." I think for pianists playing here must be a bliss .
...
I made a rough English translation of the post of Ikuma-san.
I was at both performances of the hall on June 3 and 5 respectively and have my own opinion about its, which can be summarized as "good acoustics, uncomfortable seats, unaccommodating staff."
If you like, please read the translation of the post and my own impression of my experience with the hall here => Vienna's Golden Hall
♪ June 10 Japan ASCII Weekly Magazine recommends
Japan's ASCII Weekly Magazine recommends 'Grieg: Piano Concerto & Rachmaninov Paganini Rhapsody.'
http://weekly.ascii.jp/elem/000/000/415/415471/index-3.html
辻井伸行の協奏曲アルバムの第4作。ヴァシリー・ペトレンコ指揮ロイヤル・リヴァプール・フィルハーモニー管弦楽団とのライブ録音。ライブなのに、この明瞭さはどうよ、の高解像度だ。ピアノもオーケストラもたいへん明確で、明晰なのである。オケが左右のスピーカーいっぱいに広がり、ピアノは比較的大きな音像で、バックとのバランス感も良い。辻井のピアノは北欧的な憂色感を表現し、馴染みのある曲が、新鮮な気持ちで聴ける。2018年1月31日～2月4日、リヴァプールのフィルハーモニックホールで録音。
"The fourth concerto album by Nobuyuki Tsujii. Live recording with Vasily Petrenko conducting Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. Even though it is recorded live, there is clarity, high resolution of. Both the piano and the orchestra are very clear and lucid. The orchestra spreads to the right and left speakers, the piano projects a relatively large sound image, the balance in the back is also good. Tsujii's piano expresses Northern European feelings of melancholy, and familiar works can be heard with fresh feelings. Recording at the Philharmonic Hall of Liverpool from January 31 to February 4, 2018."
June 2 18:30 Grafenegg Auditorium (1,370 seats); limited seats remain.
June 3 15:30 & June 5 19:30 Vienna Musikverein (1,744 seats); nearly sold out.
June 4 19:30 St. Pölten Festspielhaus (1,063 seats); standing room only
The four performances will take place in three spectacular venues. Nobu performs Ravel's Piano Concerto in G major with the Tonkünstler Orchester and their muisic director Yutaka Sado.
Music writer 伊熊よし子 Yoshiko Ikuma mentioned on her May 24 blog post that she will be in Austria to cover the concerts in Grafenegg & Vienna
Details => Nobu & Sado in Austria 2018 -- news, comments, etc.