Pianist Igor Levit on 60 Minutes

[Ricordanza]

Here's a link to last night's broadcast:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/igor-levit ... 021-01-03/

[maestrob]

Here's a link to last night's broadcast:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/igor-levit ... 021-01-03/

Thanks, Ricordanza, and good morning! That was a wonderful segment. I'm delighted to see a classical musician finding so many followers nowadays, but am also extremely disturbed at the antisemitism that's rearing its ugly head again in Germany. This is not where we discuss politics, so I'll save further comment for the Pub, but death threats are simply beyond the pale.

I still remember the protests that used to accompany Sviatoslav Richter's appearances here, but that was for entirely different reasons.

[lennygoran]

Here's a link to last night's broadcast:

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/igor-levit ... 021-01-03/

Hank great-I always tape 60 minutes on the DVR so I'll be watching this! Regards, Len

[Lance]

I have Levit's brand new Sony 2-CD set [78657] entitled "Encounter." What we have here is the Busoni arrangement of JS Bach's ten Chorale Preludes; Busoni's arrangement of Brahms' eight Chorale Preludes; Reger's arrangement of Brahms' Vier ernste Gesange [Four Serious Songs], Julian Becker's arrangement of Max Reger's Nachtlied [Night Song], and finally Morton Feldman's Palais de Mari.

The playing, as you would expect, is outstanding, well recorded on a very fine piano. What was most interesting about this release is the booklet notes written by Anselm Cybinski, which takes on a spiritual path through this music ... a very interesting idea in how complete and thought-provoking it is.

The inlay tag: "Sounds that give strength, discoveries that lead to stillness: Igor Levit's very personal collection of works stages encounters between people and time, heaven and earth." [That should raise your interest!] •

[maestrob]

I have Levit's brand new Sony 2-CD set [78657] entitled "Encounter." What we have here is the Busoni arrangement of JS Bach's ten Chorale Preludes; Busoni's arrangement of Brahms' eight Chorale Preludes; Reger's arrangement of Brahms' Vier ernste Gesange [Four Serious Songs], Julian Becker's arrangement of Max Reger's Nachtlied [Night Song], and finally Morton Feldman's Palais de Mari.

The playing, as you would expect, is outstanding, well recorded on a very fine piano. What was most interesting about this release is the booklet notes written by Anselm Cybinski, which takes on a spiritual path through this music ... a very interesting idea in how complete and thought-provoking it is.

The inlay tag: "Sounds that give strength, discoveries that lead to stillness: Igor Levit's very personal collection of works stages encounters between people and time, heaven and earth." [That should raise your interest!] •

Lance, that sounds interesting, and I have that queued up on amazon for listening this morning. Thank-you!

Levit has become quite a cult figure these days. I noticed this morning that 282 reviewers have awarded his Beethoven Sonatas 5 stars! Extraordinary, and I congratulate him, not just for that, but for reaching out to his audience in so many ways during the pandemic. His political stance in Germany is also wonderfully courageous.

His generosity of spirit as a musician and as a human being should be rewarded with great success in his career.

[lennygoran]

Levit has become quite a cult figure these days.

Brian I finally watched that 60 minutes segment-very interesting about a pianist I had never heard of-his being threatened by nazis couldn't help but remind me of what's been going on here for the last few days. I won't say any more about it in this part of the CMG forum. Regards, Len

[maestrob]

Levit has become quite a cult figure these days.

Brian I finally watched that 60 minutes segment-very interesting about a pianist I had never heard of-his being threatened by nazis couldn't help but remind me of what's been going on here for the last few days. I won't say any more about it in this part of the CMG forum. Regards, Len

Yes, indeed! Death threats from Neo-Nazis seem to be par for the course these days.