Friday, 5/9/97 Pianist masters language of music
By Susan Lee Daily Bruin Contributor In all simplicity, the
piano is just another piece of wood, no different than a desk,
chair or building. But every so often, a virtuoso will bring life
to the inanimate object. Norwegian pianist Leif Oves Andsnes has
spent a lifetime learning how to be just such a musician. And
Friday night in Schoenberg Hall, he hopes to give American
audiences a taste of what the piano can do. Tonight’s program
features two Beethoven sonatas, as well as Beethoven’s "Fantasy" in
G Minor, Opus 77. Andsnes will also perform Dvorak’s "Selections
from Poetic Tone Pictures" and Frank Martin’s "Fantasy on Flamenco
Rhythms." Although this concert is considered his formal Los
Angeles recital debut, Andsnes is a veteran of touring around the
wold. Since his first concert in Norway at 17, Andsnes has
performed with leading orchestras and in major music centers across
the globe. Despite his knack for playing the piano in his
childhood, it wasn’t until he met current teacher and mentor Jiri
Hlinka that he began to take playing the piano more seriously.
"Since that time, Hlinka opened up a new world for me and taught me
how to express everything through piano," Andsnes says, with an air
of admiration. "That was the discovery for me – from that moment,
there was no way back." Through Hlinka, Andsnes quickly learned
musical phrasings in addition to technique. He gives a light
chuckle as he recalls his first lesson with Hlinka, in which he
only covered four pages of music. "That first lesson, we worked on
arm movements on the piece. It was only four pages of a very big
piece, but it was still a lot of work on four pages with the wrist
and the arm and just very free movements," Andsnes says. "(Hlinka)
just looked at me and said, ‘Don’t worry, in two years you’ll be
doing this automatically’ – and he was right, I did." It was there
at the Bergen Music Conservatory that his creative processes became
more defined as he "grew into music." At 20, Andsnes signed a
recording contract with Virgin Classics, which enabled him to
spread his music. "Initially, people heard me and then some
orchestras took me on tour and abroad. Eventually somehow that
circle got bigger and bigger," Andsnes says. "Of course, there’s a
certain pressure and expectation from the audience to perform more
when you have been playing since your youth, but at the same time I
find when people expect something positive then they open
themselves up for the music, so it’s easier to play for them."
Andsnes also stresses the importance of hard work and honesty to
"find out what you want out of the music and to search for that
truth." He then pauses to consider what music is to him,
emphasizing the necessity of forming a communicative link between
himself and the audience during performances. "For me, music is the
most sincere language with which I can communicate. It goes much
deeper for me than other languages or ways of communicating so it
makes me feel alive and helps me confront my inner emotions,"
Andsnes says. The worst aspect, he feels, of attending a music
recital is coming away from the experience unchanged: "Music should
offer an uplifting experience that should not be forgettable. Every
concert should be like an event with something expected out of it,"
Andsnes stresses. "It shouldn’t be like going to see another piece
of art at a museum – something happens then at the moment of the
performance, and if it stays with you then the experience and my
communication has worked. And then I will be satisfied." So far,
his communication seems to be working as audiences worldwide have
signaled their approval in their responses to his work, although
there are cultural differences among the responses. While fans in
Taiwan scream and clap wildly, they won’t stand up. Germany also
discourages standing ovations, but the crowd applauds for much
longer. "I’m just happy if I can make them feel better when they
walk out than when they walked into the concert hall. Ultimately,
if they like what you do then they are enthusiastic back," Andsnes
says. The range of interpretation within music has allowed Andsnes
much freedom in choice between composers and repertoire. Although
he concedes that he is perhaps "mildly stubborn" when it comes to
what he wants in music, for the most part he has not had any
trouble maintaining his artistic integrity. Andsnes answers to the
demanding schedule of about 80 concerts a year, and his practices,
though they average three to four hours a day, often run from a
half-hour to eight hours, depending on the project. After these
four remaining west coast recitals, Andsnes is to return to Bergen,
where he will be the musician in residence this summer at the
Bergen Festival. He will perform some Brahms pieces, and following
this, Andsnes will release an album focusing on Schumann’s works.
"Music is the best mental therapy for me," Andsnes reflects. "All
great composers have their own worlds, so one really can’t compare
them." Andsnes also admits to an affection for Schubert’s music,
citing his poetic style as an attraction. "In Schubert there’s such
an incredible beauty and such an incredible lyrical vein that it
works on so many different levels," Andsnes says. "There is so much
pain and life – there’s just a heavenly atmosphere about the whole
thing." Tonight, Andsnes hopes to provide an emotional atmosphere
that audiences will connect with. MUSIC: Andsnes performs tonight
in Schoenberg Hall. Tickets are $25and $9 for UCLA students with
valid ID. For more information, call (310) 825-2101. Related Links:
Boston Symphony Orchestra Profile of Leif