It was an epic performance of an epic work. See for yourself! Read on.
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Pretrenko and Nobu emerging on stage in the Liverpool Philharmonic Concert Hall on November 23, 2014. Photo by Yura.
One year ago the astounding news came that Nobuyuki Tsujii was to perform Rachmaninov's piano concerto no. 3 (Rach 3), considered by some the most technically challenging of all piano concertos. It seemed unimaginable for Nobu, who has never seen a piano nor a music score, to tackle this monstrously complex work.
Late last year (2014), Nobu gave his debut performances of that work in U.K. with his usual aplomb, first on October 31 in Manchester with conductorYutaka Sado and the BBC Philharmonic; then again on November 23 in Liverpool with conductor Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. And how!! Both performances were rousing successes. The Manchester performance was recorded by BBC Radio 3 and I was informed that it will be aired some time in February of this year (2015).
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Nobu spinning out the exhilarating finale of Rach 3 with his magic fingers -- still photo from video
I was in the audience for the Liverpool performance, and saw in the concert hall a Japanese TV crew filming. Even so, I was unprepared to see footage of the performance last week. Seen close up, Nobu's fingers dancing on the keyboard is just breathtaking. It really seems superhuman for Nobu to play this epic work so effortlessly and so perfectly; it is beyond the comprehension of this amateur pianist currently dabbling in Chopin's nocturnes. And even more astonishing is the indescribably beautiful sound that Nobu brought out from the piano, in perfect harmony with the excellent Liverpool Phil and that highly appealing maestro Petrenko -- in only Nobu's second public performance of that concerto.
I feel compelled to share my good fortune of seeing the performance, in the hope that Nobu's astonishing achievement gets the notice that it so deserves.
I invite you to click on this link to watch or download a video of part of the performance http://bit.ly/1ApUY1r. It has the complete first movement and the exhilarating ending of the last movement.
Alternatively, you may watch the video by clicking this link
▶ Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 3 - Video Dailymotion
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Performance over, the Maestro gives Nobu a hug in the wings -- still photo from the video
I find it especially moving that, for the preparation of playing this work, Nobu turned to his long-time childhood teacher Masahito Kawakami (who pioneered Nobu's unique learning method by recording notes of a music score on cassette tapes -- can you imagine the number of cassette tapes that those dense notes of Rach 3 take?) Also, Nobu's long-time mentor Yutaka Sado and friends at the BBC Phil went out of their way to see Nobu through his debut performance of the concerto in Manchester. And it has been mentioned that eminent pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy also gave advice to Nobu, taking time off from a busy performance schedule in Hong Kong to go over Nobu's playing with the young pianist. Maestro Petrenko was extremely gracious to Nobu in Liverpool, and Nobu himself was very impressed with the conductor as well as with the orchestra. Nobu-- and we -- have all these good people to thank for this miracle.
I hope Nobu will be performing this work all over the world, and if he does, I urge you to go witness this miracle.
This tweet came up after an airing of the footage on Japan TV: 辻井伸行が人間に近いか神に近いかどっちかっていうと、神 (Nobuyuki Tsujii, is he closer to God or Man? God.). I used to laugh at such postings, but now I am beginning to wonder ....
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In Liverpool, a full house and the Liverpool Phil await the entrance of Vasily Petrenko and Nobuyuki Tsujii
Related article
Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 3 (Dec. 2013)
Nobuyuki Tsujii in Manchester U.K., fall 2014
Nobuyuki Tsujii in Liverpool, Fall 2014
Pretrenko and Nobu emerging on stage in the Liverpool Philharmonic Concert Hall on November 23, 2014. Photo by Yura.
One year ago the astounding news came that Nobuyuki Tsujii was to perform Rachmaninov's piano concerto no. 3 (Rach 3), considered by some the most technically challenging of all piano concertos. It seemed unimaginable for Nobu, who has never seen a piano nor a music score, to tackle this monstrously complex work.
Late last year (2014), Nobu gave his debut performances of that work in U.K. with his usual aplomb, first on October 31 in Manchester with conductorYutaka Sado and the BBC Philharmonic; then again on November 23 in Liverpool with conductor Vasily Petrenko and the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic. And how!! Both performances were rousing successes. The Manchester performance was recorded by BBC Radio 3 and I was informed that it will be aired some time in February of this year (2015).
Nobu spinning out the exhilarating finale of Rach 3 with his magic fingers -- still photo from video
I was in the audience for the Liverpool performance, and saw in the concert hall a Japanese TV crew filming. Even so, I was unprepared to see footage of the performance last week. Seen close up, Nobu's fingers dancing on the keyboard is just breathtaking. It really seems superhuman for Nobu to play this epic work so effortlessly and so perfectly; it is beyond the comprehension of this amateur pianist currently dabbling in Chopin's nocturnes. And even more astonishing is the indescribably beautiful sound that Nobu brought out from the piano, in perfect harmony with the excellent Liverpool Phil and that highly appealing maestro Petrenko -- in only Nobu's second public performance of that concerto.
I feel compelled to share my good fortune of seeing the performance, in the hope that Nobu's astonishing achievement gets the notice that it so deserves.
I invite you to click on this link to watch or download a video of part of the performance http://bit.ly/1ApUY1r. It has the complete first movement and the exhilarating ending of the last movement.
Alternatively, you may watch the video by clicking this link
▶ Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 3 - Video Dailymotion
Performance over, the Maestro gives Nobu a hug in the wings -- still photo from the video
I find it especially moving that, for the preparation of playing this work, Nobu turned to his long-time childhood teacher Masahito Kawakami (who pioneered Nobu's unique learning method by recording notes of a music score on cassette tapes -- can you imagine the number of cassette tapes that those dense notes of Rach 3 take?) Also, Nobu's long-time mentor Yutaka Sado and friends at the BBC Phil went out of their way to see Nobu through his debut performance of the concerto in Manchester. And it has been mentioned that eminent pianist Vladimir Ashkenazy also gave advice to Nobu, taking time off from a busy performance schedule in Hong Kong to go over Nobu's playing with the young pianist. Maestro Petrenko was extremely gracious to Nobu in Liverpool, and Nobu himself was very impressed with the conductor as well as with the orchestra. Nobu-- and we -- have all these good people to thank for this miracle.
I hope Nobu will be performing this work all over the world, and if he does, I urge you to go witness this miracle.
This tweet came up after an airing of the footage on Japan TV: 辻井伸行が人間に近いか神に近いかどっちかっていうと、神 (Nobuyuki Tsujii, is he closer to God or Man? God.). I used to laugh at such postings, but now I am beginning to wonder ....
In Liverpool, a full house and the Liverpool Phil await the entrance of Vasily Petrenko and Nobuyuki Tsujii
Related article
Nobuyuki Tsujii plays Rach 3 (Dec. 2013)
Nobuyuki Tsujii in Manchester U.K., fall 2014
Nobuyuki Tsujii in Liverpool, Fall 2014