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Best Piano Concert
Today at my music school, we had a guest performer come and play a concert.
His name is Giovanni Umberto Battel
Here's his biography:
Giovanni Umberto Battel, born in the province of Venice, began his piano's studies when he was four years old, under the guidance of his father Camillo, pianist and composer, and graduated with full marks and honours and honourable mention at the "G. Tartini" Conservatory in Trieste, under the direction of M° Luciano Gante. Under pianist Lya De Barberiis he obtained, with full marks and honours, the post-graduate diploma at the "Accademia di Santa Cecilia" in Roma. In the meantime, having an education in classical studies, Battel took a degree in musicology, with full marks and honours, at Bologna University and published articles on the new methodologies of performing analysis.
Between 1974 and 1979 he won six important national piano competitions connected with the main Italian concert societies. Between 1978 and 1982 he won prizes in seven international piano competition, proving his value in different places and times, it is enough to mention the first prizes in Stresa and in Enna and other prizes won at “Pozzoli”, at “Viotti” and at “Busoni” competitions.
After his début as a soloist in 1976 for Venice's theatre "La Fenice" and his first performance with orchestra in 1980 at the Sanremo theatre, he has given many concerts in Italy. Since 1986 Battel has also played in France (Paris, Nantes, Strasbourg, Obernai), Germany (Hamburg, Bonn, Bremen, Lubeck, Munich, Meersburg), Great Britain (London), Belgium (Brussels, Jodoigne), Sweden (Stockholm), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Croatia (Pola), Serbia (Belgrade), Greece (Athens, Tesaloniki), Turkey (Ankara, Smyrna), Russia (Samara), Japan (Tokyo, Osaka), U.S.A. (San Francisco and other towns in California).
He played with chamber and symphony orchestra conducted by De Bernart, Gavazzeni, Steinberg, Scimone and many other.
He recorded for both Italian radio and television (RAI). Among his recordings it is to mention two CD with Busoni Piano Concert op. 39a (Bongiovanni ed).
When he was twenty, Battel obtained the Piano Chair at “B. Marcello”, the Conservatory of Venice, and has been Director of the same Conservatory from academical year 1997/98. He has taught master classes in Italy, France, Spain, Serbia, Turkey and Japan, has been a member of the commission of piano competions and music consultant for concert seasons.
He was absolutely amazing. His hands and how they played were so beautiful. They overlapped many times during pieces he played but none of the awkwardness of such a movement showed in the playing. His dynamics were perfect. I felt my emotions in sync with his playing. I actually cried while he played. The way he plays is so sincere, nothing showy in how he plays even though the pieces themselves were so grand. I enjoyed his Chopin. I didn't know that the Sonata included the Funeral March. When he played that, I was just so overwhelmed with emotion. It was so beautiful. I never let my eyes fall away from his hands. Their movements were so spectacular while playing loudly, softly, quickly, slowly.
Hearing him play reminded me of why I love piano and music with all my soul, why I enjoy playing and listening to music.
I love Rachmaninov. The first piece I've every played of his was the Elegy. Since then I've played so many pieces of his; I fell in love with his music. And hearing him play the Sonata which I've never heard before played in a recital, was phenomenal. I was watching his hands all throughout and found my own hands trying to mimic his movements. The sonata was just so Rachmaninov in musical style.
And the Prokofiev. The ending was so powerful, so riveting. When he started the ending part, I held my breathe. At the grand ending, I let it out. It was amazing,the speed his hands were moving and the dynamics and the technique.
This was the best piano concert I've ever been to. I've never felt so alive and so ...like this.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Here's what he played today:
F. Chopin: Sonata in B flat minor, Op 35
R. Schumann: Toccata in C major, Op 7
S. Rachmaninov: Sonata in B flat minor, Op 36
M. Ravel: Toccata in E minor
S. Prokofiev: Toccata in D minor, Op 11
----------------------------------------
What I'm listening to right now:
Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko
His name is Giovanni Umberto Battel
Here's his biography:
Giovanni Umberto Battel, born in the province of Venice, began his piano's studies when he was four years old, under the guidance of his father Camillo, pianist and composer, and graduated with full marks and honours and honourable mention at the "G. Tartini" Conservatory in Trieste, under the direction of M° Luciano Gante. Under pianist Lya De Barberiis he obtained, with full marks and honours, the post-graduate diploma at the "Accademia di Santa Cecilia" in Roma. In the meantime, having an education in classical studies, Battel took a degree in musicology, with full marks and honours, at Bologna University and published articles on the new methodologies of performing analysis.
Between 1974 and 1979 he won six important national piano competitions connected with the main Italian concert societies. Between 1978 and 1982 he won prizes in seven international piano competition, proving his value in different places and times, it is enough to mention the first prizes in Stresa and in Enna and other prizes won at “Pozzoli”, at “Viotti” and at “Busoni” competitions.
After his début as a soloist in 1976 for Venice's theatre "La Fenice" and his first performance with orchestra in 1980 at the Sanremo theatre, he has given many concerts in Italy. Since 1986 Battel has also played in France (Paris, Nantes, Strasbourg, Obernai), Germany (Hamburg, Bonn, Bremen, Lubeck, Munich, Meersburg), Great Britain (London), Belgium (Brussels, Jodoigne), Sweden (Stockholm), Slovenia (Ljubljana), Croatia (Pola), Serbia (Belgrade), Greece (Athens, Tesaloniki), Turkey (Ankara, Smyrna), Russia (Samara), Japan (Tokyo, Osaka), U.S.A. (San Francisco and other towns in California).
He played with chamber and symphony orchestra conducted by De Bernart, Gavazzeni, Steinberg, Scimone and many other.
He recorded for both Italian radio and television (RAI). Among his recordings it is to mention two CD with Busoni Piano Concert op. 39a (Bongiovanni ed).
When he was twenty, Battel obtained the Piano Chair at “B. Marcello”, the Conservatory of Venice, and has been Director of the same Conservatory from academical year 1997/98. He has taught master classes in Italy, France, Spain, Serbia, Turkey and Japan, has been a member of the commission of piano competions and music consultant for concert seasons.
He was absolutely amazing. His hands and how they played were so beautiful. They overlapped many times during pieces he played but none of the awkwardness of such a movement showed in the playing. His dynamics were perfect. I felt my emotions in sync with his playing. I actually cried while he played. The way he plays is so sincere, nothing showy in how he plays even though the pieces themselves were so grand. I enjoyed his Chopin. I didn't know that the Sonata included the Funeral March. When he played that, I was just so overwhelmed with emotion. It was so beautiful. I never let my eyes fall away from his hands. Their movements were so spectacular while playing loudly, softly, quickly, slowly.
Hearing him play reminded me of why I love piano and music with all my soul, why I enjoy playing and listening to music.
I love Rachmaninov. The first piece I've every played of his was the Elegy. Since then I've played so many pieces of his; I fell in love with his music. And hearing him play the Sonata which I've never heard before played in a recital, was phenomenal. I was watching his hands all throughout and found my own hands trying to mimic his movements. The sonata was just so Rachmaninov in musical style.
And the Prokofiev. The ending was so powerful, so riveting. When he started the ending part, I held my breathe. At the grand ending, I let it out. It was amazing,the speed his hands were moving and the dynamics and the technique.
This was the best piano concert I've ever been to. I've never felt so alive and so ...like this.
ーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーーー
Here's what he played today:
F. Chopin: Sonata in B flat minor, Op 35
R. Schumann: Toccata in C major, Op 7
S. Rachmaninov: Sonata in B flat minor, Op 36
M. Ravel: Toccata in E minor
S. Prokofiev: Toccata in D minor, Op 11
----------------------------------------
What I'm listening to right now:
Shiny Toy Guns - Le Disko
giddy