thanks for your encouraging words. Isn’t it indeed weird sometimes how we feel we sucked completely and obviously, we are “right”, since we know what we are doing – but at the same time maybe it doesn’t matter so much to play everything perfect, but rather the”something else” we are all longing for rather happens when one has this horrible “on the edge” feeling? Almost a subject for another blog, I would say…. 🙂

You should remember that although you felt like you were playing on the edge and maybe you weren’t completely happy with the Ligeti, you were still fantastic. Even if it wasn’t perfectly clean playing, your idea of a bad day or a sub-par performance remains very impressive to the rest of us. I heard a story about Heifetz where he once allegedly actually made a mistake, and someone interviewing him made a big deal out of it. His reply was, “but did you notice how beautiful the phrase after that mistake was?” Similarly, last season a very famous musician played with the VSO and got lost in the encore for about a bar or two. That was a rather bad moment but in the end, I don’t think it negatively impacted the performance overall very much because the rest of the playing was brilliant. So… don’t be too hard on yourself! It was great to hear the Ligeti and I think any difference that you felt in your own playing was probably amplified in your mind far beyond what it really was. Just keep on enjoying every performace!

to tell you the truth, I didn’t have the stamina for the Ligeti, that was really just running on my last substitute battery, and I think from now on I have to realize that I am getting old and I won’t do this anymore – this was on the edge, and I am too cowardish of a guy to live on the edge 🙁
But thanks for your nice words, and I would love to come back, loved the work with the VSO and Hannu, great experience indeed! Give my best to everybody there, and happy skiing!

Alban

I was playing in the violin section last week in Vancouver. It was incredible to work with you. People in the orchestra were amazed that you had the stamina to play the Ligeti encore after the Shostakovich – if only they had all known that you had just arrived back from Whistler. Wow. Come back again soon – and bring Hannu Lintu with you next time as well!

skiing with a 7-year-old isn’t really all that tiring – lots of stops here and there, and even going on my own I took it easy enough, well aware of the concert the same evening 🙂
With all the adrenalin I never really feel the fatigue after a performance, even though I must say I was pretty exhausted after that day, could hardly think straight…
I hope to be back soon, loved Vancouver and Whistler, and will try the glacier on Blackcomb for sure next time!

Best wishes,

Alban

I saw your Monday performance of the Shostakovich with VSO. You are sooo amazing! How did you have the energy to play such a huge concerto after skiing all day? I’ve never been able to play after I spend the day riding because I’m always exhausted. Anyway, the concert was amazing and I’m so glad that you liked Whistler. Please come back to Vancouver!!!

P.S. There’s a really fantastic glacier on Blackcomb. It’s a short hike past one of the lifts, but totally rewarding when it’s full of powder!

oh yes, we enjoyed Whistler very much, except the fact that I am absolutely dead by now; I was one of the first at the gondula at 8:30 am, skied for two hours on my own (Janos didn’t feel like going so early, so he did his homework in the hotel), then I picked him up and we had a wonderful time together until 2 pm. In the morning there was heavy snow and fog, which made it rather risky, and I am happy nothing happened (I saw myself already walking on stage with a broken leg – did this once with a sprained food, after playing soccer…). But once Janos joined me it was just perfect; the snow was unbelievable and it broke our hearts to leave already after only two days of skiing. We got back into town at 4:30, returned the car, slept a bit, practiced a bit, and then another Shostakovich…. Glad you liked it, and I hope I can come back in two winters, then I will bring more time to go skiing!!!

Best wishes,
Alban

When/where did you record the new disc? And when will it be released? Your page on Hyperion’s website doesn’t mention it…

It would be interesting to read a blog entry with more information about the recording (and something about the works themselves, since the Dietrich and Gersheim concerti presumably are not familiar to many people).

Tim