...and after the performance
After doing the Haydn D now for the fifth time this year, I slowly get the hang of it. Now I understand why some musicians tend to play the same pieces over and over - it does get easier after a while.
My first Haydn D was in 1987, with a pick-up orchestra in Berlin, in the Philharmonie, the hall, where I heard so many great concerts in my life. Back then I was just happy to get through the piece without collapsing, I was so nervous and scared that until today I don't know how I managed. Twenty years later I know what I am doing, but still it is a dangerous piece.The performance today felt very much alive and fresh, I dared to try some completely new ideas (little things, nothing fancy, just last second inspirations) which is only possible if I feel well taken care of. And with Walter Weller this is always the case. A friend of mine from the orchestra, who had taken me to a party the night before, actually told me that she thought he looked like God - yes, a god with a lot of charme :)
No, it wasn't the perfect performance, missed some stuff in the last candenza, and the first set of octaves in the last movement could have been cleaner... But at least it was with full risk and sound, and I think we made some music (hopefully).
The concert was dedicated to the former principal cellist, Jean-Max Clément, who turned 100 a couple of weeks ago. I met him afterwards at a reception, played for him a bit of Rostropovich-Etude, and enjoyed the energy and the stories of this guy. The orchestra took some photos of this matinee and posted them at MySpace, nice memory for me to have. Now I am already back in Germany, Frankfurt to be precise, have to play a gig tomorrow for some rich people...
Jean-Max Clément and Alban Gerhardt