Touring Japan with Florestan, October 2000

urn:iso:std:iso:639:ed-3:eng

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text excerpt

As before, our rehearsal is full of 'This hasn't been right, this is too slow, I feel uncomfortable here or there.' So we do slow practice, and take the first movement of the Ravel to pieces - with good results. The closing bars have always been a problem because of the cello harmonics which sometimes fail to 'speak' when they should, making it impossible to guess how to play together with the cello notes as they move. We also discuss the timing of the final cello 'pizzicato' chord, which Richard claims to be 'placing' in a dramatic way, but which Anthony claims is simply late, and unrhythmical. When Richard plays this in the concert it is perfect. I am pleased in the concert because I've been able to control my posture - making it five concerts in a row. Very often I feel that stress and adrenaline cause me to lose touch with the solar plexus, the balance of the spine, the free breathing from the abdomen. I've often noticed that to play a whole concert with off-centre balance is strangely exhausting. But in Japan I haven't lost touch with the 'centre'. If this is right, many technical aspects of playing, and indeed many others, seem to fall into place. The Ravel Trio goes particularly well tonight, and afterwards Richard says it's the best performance he has ever given, especially of the last movement. Once again we are whisked off to sign records for apparently awestruck people.

excerpt from 'Touring Japan with Florestan, October 2000' pp. 96 (248 words)

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