unfortunately, i had no way of recording this concert,
but this was my first live Babayan concert and it was unreal. At times, it did not sound like a piano he was playing, but just a part of him.
Anyway, I’m writing this post because he opened with a 20th century piece by Ryabov - Fantasia in C minor, Op. 21. Is anyone familar with this?
This has shed a new light on 20th century music in general for me. I know that I sound generic and like I am stereotyping a vast array of music, but you’d have to hear this piece to see what I’m talking about. It uses overtones, different registers, counterpoint, and has all sorts of textures. It was easily my favorite piece on the program, even though he had some Schuber/Liszt and Bach.
Is anyone familar with this? If not, everyone should check it out (and of course Jre and Jred, give it a listen if you have a way of finding it).
This is his program:
RYABOV Fantasia in C minor, Op. 21, in memory of Maria Yudina
SCHUBERT Der Müller und der Bach
SCHUBERT Gretchen am Spinnrade
SCHUBERT Auf dem Wasser zu singen
RAMEAU Suite No. 2 in A minor, from “Nouvelles suites de pièces de clavecin” (ca. 1728)
BACH from the Klavierbüchlein for Wilhelm Friedemann Bach