I recently returned from my first visit to - freezing! - New York, which I enjoyed immensely. I flew from Paris on the Airbus A380 after having traveled from my home in northern Germany.

I only had five days in the Big Apple but I managed to do most of the main 'touristy' things (too many yummy 'Lox' bagels and mouth-wateringly delicious cheese cake!), as well as enjoy what was for me the highlight of my visit, namely, seeing Radu Lupu in Carnegie Hall. I also visited the Juilliard school and enjoyed a free concert by some of the students in the impressive Alice Tully hall.

I had arranged my visit in order to take in the Radu Lupu concert and I wasn't disappointed; Lupu's playing was exquisite (For anyone interested, you can read a comprehensive review here). This quiet, enigmatic man has such wonderful touch. I heard voicing nuances I'd never heard before in everything he played, but particularly in Schubert's great Bb Sonata D960 (I wasn't familiar with the Janáček).

The only thing that marred the concert was the ringing of THREE mobile phones, all during quiet moments of the performance. This in spite of a very clear warning before the concert began. An all too frequent occurrence nowadays, and inexcusable imo. After the third ring, Lupu visibly shook his head (Brendel probably would have walked off!). The 'rings' were actually ugly 'musical' tones, all too frequent nowadays and highly embarrassing, to say the least.

Anyway, to end on a positive note, I loved my first impression of New York and can't wait to return there, and to Carnegie Hall.

It sounds like you had a great time. Good for you. Lupu, is on my short list of pianists I've yet to hear live. I've long admired his playing and would love to hear him with the Schubert bflat. I, too, have never understood audiences and their candy wrappers, digging through a purse, or having a cell phone go off. Every venue, it seems, has an announcement beforehand asking people to please shut their phones off...so, to me, that says they either don't care about the announcement/fellow audience members/the performer and the music, or they're simply attention divas. Glad you enjoyed it.

Nice write-up! Lupu is one of the people I'd love to hear too.

And the cell phone people should be shot.

What I really don't understand about some of the cell phone people is why they at least don't immediately turn it off once it starts ringing. Some do, but most seem not to. They fiddle with it and do this-and-that, and not infrequently it plays its music or whatever again a few seconds later. How about just turning off the dam thing right away.......

That was quite a long trip for this concert, Michael. Hopefully there are just as many wonderful concerts over there in Germany/France/Europe, as some of us are hoping to travel as a PW group over there to visit in the near future!

Twas certainly a cold time of year to be traveling though.

Did you visit Piano Row and all those wonderful NYC piano stores?

Piano Row?! ....I knew I'd missed something significant! On the other hand, yet another reason for a return visit

There are indeed many wonderful venues for concert goers here in Europe - so many! However, to visit New York has been a long held ambition of mine and, coupled with a Carnegie Hall concert - how could I resist?

lilylady, I didn't know that a PW group was planning to visit Europe this year. Is this related to Chopin's 200th anniversary? I'd like to know more about this trip, if I may.

Radu Lupu doesn't seem to give recitals in the UK very often .

Some years ago I saw him give a recital which included one of the Brahms Sonatas. It was in a relatively small hall (so much better than the 2000/3000 seater concert halls) and it has stayed in my memory ever since. It felt very special.

He is one of the few pianists who I would travel (within the UK) to hear play.

Trust me, the opportunity to hear live classical music is FAR greater in Europe than in the States. If I could afford to move, I would.

I was there, at Carnegie Hall that night. I mentioned it briefly in the Janacek posts. I usually try my hand at reviewing concerts here, but it was very difficult to comment on this one.
On one hand, it was obvious that we were in the presence of a very thoughtful and brilliant artist. On the other hand, I did not enjoy the whole program, specifically the Appassionata..
His interpretation was too introspective, the phrasing sometimes odd. It simply did not reach me. I am encouraged to comment since Michael started the thread, but this is just a very humble personal opinion that may not be shared by too many people. I will add that the cell phones (or pagers) were obnoxious and incredibly ill-timed. There was a ring for each piece Lupu played.
The Schubert sonata (D960) came after the intermission. And it was beautiful and different, in that he brought out the "joie de vivre" especially in the scherzo movement. The opening and the second movement did not reach the bottom of the abyss as they often do in other interpretations (eg Richter's). It was again a deeply personal meditative interpretation. The stupid cell phone rang with the last note of the first movement.. I feared he was going to just walk away..
Overall it was an extremely interesting evening despite the siberian (or should I say canadian) temperatures..

stores, in NYC, there is no lack of classical music, as I am sure you know. In fact I need to reign myself from splurging on too many tickets. I also need to gets ome work done in the evenings usually.. Tonight for example, Kathleen Battle will bring down the house at Carnegie Hall. Tomorrow Carmen at the Met and Anne Sophie Mutter at CH. Wednesday, Emmanuel Ax (Chopin, Schumann and Thomas Ades). Saturday NY Philharmonic with Gilbert and a US premiere of Lindberg's Clarinet concerto..
Less expensive at the Met museum, Till Felner, Itzhak Perlman , Rafael Blehacz, Paul Lewis (love HIM), Nikolai Lugansky and next week, Peter Orth doing this interesting (? and long) program:
Haydn—Sonata in D Major, Hob. XVI:42
Mendelssohn—Prelude and Fugue in E Minor, Opus 35
Schumann—Morning Songs, Opus 133
Beethoven—Diabelli Variations

Now if I only did not have to pay rent around here..

Just a personal aside: I don't think the one Richter recording of D960 that I've heard (and own) is particularly Schubertian. Monumental: yes, but it's a recording I just cannot listen to.

His positively glacial tempo for the first movement -running some 30 minutes?- wouldn't have anything to do with it?

I've always been in favour of observing the first mov't repeat -and we have had discussion here before about that- but I would cheerfully make an exception this time.

[quote=cruiser
Piano Row?! ....I knew I'd missed something significant! On the other hand, yet another reason for a return visit

lilylady, I didn't know that a PW group was planning to visit Europe this year. Is this related to Chopin's 200th anniversary? I'd like to know more about this trip, if I may. [/quote]

Yup, PR is just about one block back towards the Park from Carnegie Hall. Quite worth another trip, and not to forget to include Allegro Pianos just 45 north in Ct for an amazing assortment of tier one pianos, Steinway Hall across from Carnegie Hall (did you get there?)

Frank is just at the beginning talks about putting together a tour of PW members for Europe - visiting several piano factories etc and I am hoping a concert or two as well. More will be posted as it evolves.

Oh yes, I'm well aware of the NY scene and would love to move there, if only I could afford the insane cost of living. I would be in heaven with so many concerts to choose from on a daily basis. I'd love to hear Mutter tomorrow night (she's amazing). I just heard Ax, here, on Saturday night with the same programme I'm sure (Chopin/Schumann), so, I can tell you, if you're going Wednesday, you're in for a treat. I'll be hearing Angela Hewitt, that night and can't wait.

Arrhgg, Cruiser. You just reminded me he was playing this past weekend in St. Louis and I forgot.

I heard Lupu, live, performing with the San Francisco Symphony. I cant recall which Mozart Concerto he performed but he also performed Schumann's Kinderzehnen very good pianist.

BTW......I'd love to know what you think of this "lackluster" review that he got from his Chicago concert:

Was there any of this in the performance you heard?

Absolutely not Mark! There were no memory slips in Carnegie Hall (as far as I could discern) and he certainly appeared relaxed and at ease at the magnificent Hamburg Steinway. I'm not a huge fan of the Appassionata I'm sorry to say (there are many of the 32 I much prefer), but I have heard a number of recorded interpretations of this Sonata and none has pleased me more than Lupu's live performance.

The Schubert is another matter. This is a piece I love and have heard played live on several occasions, notably by Alfred Brendel. I have never - repeat never! - been moved so much as I was by Lupu's rendition in CH. As I posted originally, I heard every voicing nuance in Lupu's wonderful playing and remarked so at the end of the concert to the people I shared my box with. The review I posted a link to also made mention of his voicing and control.

Something was evidently not right in Chicago, maybe the piano? Lupu is known for having his instrument meticulously prepared to his absolute satisfaction. Again, read my linked review with regard to the Hamburg Steinway in Carnegie hall... here it is again.

Here is the New York Times review. Yes, something was definitely amiss in Chicago... perhaps the critic?

Thanks!
(I had seen the NY Times review.)