1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:03,040 This episode is brought to you by Keys to Success, 2 00:00:03,040 --> 00:00:05,680 bringing classical music opportunities to new work 3 00:00:05,680 --> 00:00:08,080 and its surrounding suburban communities. 4 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:10,920 Keys to Success invites you to join our practice-a-thon. 5 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:13,840 Unleash your inner musician and help us reach new heights. 6 00:00:13,840 --> 00:00:17,440 All you need to do is commit to practicing 1,000 minutes of music. 7 00:00:17,440 --> 00:00:19,440 Whether you're a beginner or a virtuoso, 8 00:00:19,440 --> 00:00:21,520 Every Minute Played supports our mission 9 00:00:21,520 --> 00:00:24,440 to inspire and empower the next generation. 10 00:00:24,440 --> 00:00:26,920 Ready to make a difference? Let's hit those keys. 11 00:00:26,920 --> 00:00:28,920 1,000 minutes of music 12 00:00:56,920 --> 00:00:58,920 1,000 minutes of music 13 00:01:26,920 --> 00:01:28,920 1,000 minutes of music 14 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:48,800 Hey there, PianoPod friends and listeners! 15 00:01:48,800 --> 00:01:50,560 Welcome back to our show! 16 00:01:50,560 --> 00:01:53,760 You're tuning in to the second episode of Season 5 17 00:01:53,760 --> 00:01:57,520 and we're so thrilled to invite Steinway artist, 18 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:00,720 composer, educator, and host of the renowned radio show 19 00:02:00,720 --> 00:02:05,240 Between the Keys, none other than Jett Dissler. 20 00:02:05,240 --> 00:02:08,120 The piece you just heard at the beginning of this episode 21 00:02:08,120 --> 00:02:11,240 is the second movement from Mr. Dissler's work 22 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:14,600 for two pianos titled Loose Changes, 23 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:19,000 performed by the renowned piano duo Quattromani. 24 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:23,240 A big welcome to all of our first-time listeners and viewers. 25 00:02:23,240 --> 00:02:26,760 I am Yukimi Song, a classical pianist and educator 26 00:02:26,760 --> 00:02:28,720 based in New York City. 27 00:02:28,720 --> 00:02:30,960 Whether you are pursuing a piano career, 28 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:33,640 working in the classical music industry, 29 00:02:33,640 --> 00:02:36,200 or simply passionate about piano music, 30 00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:38,920 this podcast is your backstage pass 31 00:02:38,920 --> 00:02:42,160 to the fascinating world of the piano. 32 00:02:42,160 --> 00:02:44,680 Let me give you a quick overview of the PianoPod. 33 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:46,800 In our bi-weekly episodes, 34 00:02:46,800 --> 00:02:50,160 we dive into captivating conversations with guests 35 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,720 who are making waves in the classical music industry. 36 00:02:53,720 --> 00:02:56,960 Our mission is to build a vibrant community 37 00:02:56,960 --> 00:02:59,360 that embraces fresh ideas, 38 00:02:59,360 --> 00:03:02,080 ensuring classical music stays alive 39 00:03:02,080 --> 00:03:05,080 and meaningful in our ever-changing world. 40 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:06,400 If you haven't already, 41 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:09,400 please check out the introductory episode of Season 5 42 00:03:09,400 --> 00:03:13,040 to get a sense of what's in store for this season. 43 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:16,000 And don't forget to catch up on our previous seasons 44 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:18,600 available on your favorite podcast platforms 45 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:21,040 or on our YouTube channel. 46 00:03:21,040 --> 00:03:23,880 Now, let me tell you a bit more about today's guest, 47 00:03:23,880 --> 00:03:25,160 Jed Disler. 48 00:03:25,160 --> 00:03:27,640 I have been a long-time admirer of his radio show 49 00:03:27,640 --> 00:03:30,800 Between the Keys for its insightful commentary 50 00:03:30,800 --> 00:03:32,920 on various piano recordings. 51 00:03:32,920 --> 00:03:35,640 What truly impresses me is Jed's ability 52 00:03:35,640 --> 00:03:38,400 to break down complex musical concepts 53 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:41,760 in a way that's accessible to all listeners. 54 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:44,720 I've also gained so much from the show's eclectic 55 00:03:44,720 --> 00:03:46,680 and diverse playlists, 56 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:48,680 which span from classical staples 57 00:03:48,680 --> 00:03:51,360 to contemporary works in jazz. 58 00:03:51,360 --> 00:03:54,640 Last spring, I came across Jed's profile on Facebook 59 00:03:54,640 --> 00:03:57,840 and I couldn't resist sending a friend request. 60 00:03:57,840 --> 00:04:00,600 And to my delight and to my surprise, 61 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:02,880 Jed accepted my request right away 62 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:06,760 and soon after he also became a listener of the piano pod. 63 00:04:06,760 --> 00:04:08,680 After several email exchanges, 64 00:04:08,680 --> 00:04:12,440 he graciously invited me to his home in Manhattan. 65 00:04:12,440 --> 00:04:15,320 And during my visit, I was warmly welcomed, 66 00:04:15,320 --> 00:04:19,240 not only by Jed, but also by one of his cats, Shuby. 67 00:04:19,240 --> 00:04:20,200 So cute. 68 00:04:20,200 --> 00:04:22,200 I had a chance to see the behind the scenes 69 00:04:22,200 --> 00:04:25,040 of his radio show and I was amazed 70 00:04:25,040 --> 00:04:28,320 by his vast collection of CD albums and records 71 00:04:28,320 --> 00:04:31,560 sent by artists and recording companies. 72 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:33,840 It was a delightful experience, 73 00:04:33,840 --> 00:04:35,880 capped off with a lovely meal, 74 00:04:35,880 --> 00:04:38,960 a true testament to his kindness and hospitality. 75 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:42,800 Jed is a powerhouse in the music world. 76 00:04:42,800 --> 00:04:45,560 As a composer, pianist and educator, 77 00:04:45,560 --> 00:04:48,600 he has earned acclaim for his brilliant transcriptions 78 00:04:48,600 --> 00:04:52,320 of jazz legends like Art Tatum and Bill Evans. 79 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:54,920 His innovative piano recitals have premiered works 80 00:04:54,920 --> 00:04:58,880 by some of the most significant names in contemporary music. 81 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:01,080 His creativity knows no bounds. 82 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,120 Jed founded Composers Collaborative, 83 00:05:04,120 --> 00:05:06,920 which set a 2013 Guinness World Record 84 00:05:06,920 --> 00:05:09,080 for the largest keyboard ensemble, 85 00:05:09,080 --> 00:05:10,920 featuring one of his compositions 86 00:05:10,920 --> 00:05:14,680 performed on 175 electronic keyboards. 87 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:16,600 In a groundbreaking performance, 88 00:05:16,600 --> 00:05:18,680 he became the first pianist to play 89 00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:23,240 all Thelonious Monk's works in a single 90-minute concert. 90 00:05:23,240 --> 00:05:28,240 Currently, Jed is composing an astonishing 1,827 bag of tales 91 00:05:29,240 --> 00:05:33,320 to celebrate Beethoven's anniversary in 2027. 92 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:36,680 His solo piano CD, Fearless Monk, is a must-listen 93 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:38,480 and is recorded extensively 94 00:05:38,480 --> 00:05:42,760 for the high-resolution superior player piano by Steinway. 95 00:05:42,760 --> 00:05:45,000 In addition to his award-winning radio show 96 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:46,120 Between the Keys, 97 00:05:46,120 --> 00:05:49,440 Jed has also added podcasts to his resume 98 00:05:49,440 --> 00:05:51,360 with the launch of his new podcast, 99 00:05:51,360 --> 00:05:55,440 the podcast Maven with Jed Dissler in July 2024. 100 00:05:56,440 --> 00:05:57,680 So before we dive in, 101 00:05:57,680 --> 00:06:00,720 I want to take a moment to thank our amazing TPP fans 102 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:03,480 and loyal listeners for your continued support. 103 00:06:03,480 --> 00:06:06,480 If you enjoy the show, please take a moment to rate 104 00:06:06,480 --> 00:06:09,200 and review it on your favorite podcast platform 105 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:13,360 because every rating review will help people find my show. 106 00:06:13,360 --> 00:06:15,960 Now get ready to uncover the secrets behind 107 00:06:15,960 --> 00:06:19,000 Jed Dissler's remarkable, multifaceted career 108 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,400 as a Steinway artist, composer, and educator, 109 00:06:22,400 --> 00:06:24,920 as well as the success of his radio show 110 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:27,040 and newly launched podcast. 111 00:06:27,040 --> 00:06:31,440 So please sit back, relax, and enjoy the show. 112 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:34,440 ["Movie of the Year"] 113 00:06:34,440 --> 00:06:36,000 You are listening to the PianoPod, 114 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:38,920 where we talk to the brightest minds in the industry 115 00:06:38,920 --> 00:06:41,760 about how they are bringing the piano into the future 116 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,000 and thriving in a complex, ever-evolving world. 117 00:06:47,160 --> 00:06:49,120 Welcome to the PianoPod, Jed. 118 00:06:49,120 --> 00:06:51,560 It's an absolute honor to have you. 119 00:06:51,560 --> 00:06:52,400 Thank you. 120 00:06:52,400 --> 00:06:55,080 Well, the honor is mine to be with you, 121 00:06:55,080 --> 00:06:58,520 and I am a big, big fan of the PianoPod. 122 00:06:58,520 --> 00:06:59,360 Oh, my goodness. 123 00:06:59,360 --> 00:07:02,520 I'm the biggest fan of your radio show 124 00:07:02,520 --> 00:07:06,080 from the Classic Network, Between the Keys. 125 00:07:06,080 --> 00:07:07,800 Thank you so much. 126 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:12,800 You know, I just produced my 480th episode. 127 00:07:12,880 --> 00:07:13,720 I can't believe it. 128 00:07:13,720 --> 00:07:14,880 Oh, my goodness. 129 00:07:14,880 --> 00:07:15,720 Wow. 130 00:07:15,720 --> 00:07:18,200 Which means 500 is around the corner. 131 00:07:18,200 --> 00:07:19,520 We have to do something about that. 132 00:07:19,520 --> 00:07:21,600 Yes, you have to do something about it. 133 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:26,600 And so, you know, as I was researching your life and career 134 00:07:26,960 --> 00:07:30,720 and you've done so much, so much. 135 00:07:30,720 --> 00:07:33,800 You've been a composer and pianist, 136 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,440 but also you're the curator, producer. 137 00:07:36,440 --> 00:07:40,600 But I think it's proper that we will start with the topic 138 00:07:40,600 --> 00:07:42,360 of your radio show, Between the Keys, 139 00:07:42,360 --> 00:07:44,600 as I have been the biggest fan, 140 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:49,120 but also you have a lot of huge fan base, right? 141 00:07:49,120 --> 00:07:52,920 And then this program has become a cherished gem 142 00:07:52,920 --> 00:07:55,000 for music and piano lovers, 143 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:57,960 and worldwide, blending insightful commentary 144 00:07:57,960 --> 00:07:59,920 with musical tradition. 145 00:07:59,920 --> 00:08:03,360 And I think that's one of the biggest musical treasures 146 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,960 that truly showcase your deep passion for the piano 147 00:08:07,960 --> 00:08:09,720 and highlight your expertise. 148 00:08:09,720 --> 00:08:11,960 So how did it come to life? 149 00:08:11,960 --> 00:08:14,280 Oh, that's a really good question, 150 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:17,800 as I would expect from you. 151 00:08:17,800 --> 00:08:20,480 It was a matter of serendipity. 152 00:08:20,480 --> 00:08:24,920 You know, I have always been a big radio fan 153 00:08:24,920 --> 00:08:26,800 since I was a little boy. 154 00:08:26,800 --> 00:08:30,120 Classical radio with jazz radio, any radio. 155 00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:34,040 And I had a little tabletop radio, and in my bedroom, 156 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:37,360 I would listen to the radio all night long, 157 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:39,400 even when I was sleeping. 158 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,680 And even when I was a little boy, 159 00:08:41,680 --> 00:08:45,040 I would talk to myself in my bedroom 160 00:08:45,040 --> 00:08:48,280 and pretend to be a DJ, and I would make playlists. 161 00:08:48,280 --> 00:08:51,560 So this has been an obsession all my life. 162 00:08:51,560 --> 00:08:56,560 And then as I got into college, you know, 163 00:08:57,160 --> 00:08:59,680 in my late teens, early twenties, 164 00:08:59,680 --> 00:09:03,480 I became a big fan of a show called Concert Grand, 165 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,520 which was hosted by Bruce Posner 166 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:09,360 and my late dear friend, Joseph Patrick, 167 00:09:09,360 --> 00:09:12,240 who passed away last December. 168 00:09:12,240 --> 00:09:15,760 And for 17 years, they had a wonderful piano show 169 00:09:15,760 --> 00:09:17,280 where they'd play recordings, 170 00:09:17,280 --> 00:09:20,480 they would compare performances at the same pieces, 171 00:09:20,480 --> 00:09:23,800 they interviewed many distinctive pianists. 172 00:09:23,800 --> 00:09:26,960 And also David DuBall had a radio show 173 00:09:26,960 --> 00:09:29,880 when he was the artistic director, 174 00:09:29,880 --> 00:09:32,360 the music director of WNCN, 175 00:09:32,360 --> 00:09:35,760 a wonderful New York station that no longer exists. 176 00:09:35,760 --> 00:09:38,720 And he would do something similar, 177 00:09:38,720 --> 00:09:43,720 making comparative, playing comparative performances 178 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:45,920 and interviewing artists. 179 00:09:45,920 --> 00:09:49,040 And this really turned me on 180 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:50,880 to a lot of the piano repertoire 181 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,880 and made me aware of just how important interpretation was 182 00:09:57,480 --> 00:10:00,360 along with the works themselves. 183 00:10:01,240 --> 00:10:06,240 And then as I started establishing my so-called career, 184 00:10:08,560 --> 00:10:12,000 I began appearing on many radio shows 185 00:10:12,000 --> 00:10:16,120 on New York Public Radio, being a guest. 186 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:19,640 And I loved that experience so much. 187 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:22,280 And I kept thinking, boy, I wish I was 188 00:10:23,200 --> 00:10:27,280 in the other chair being the host. 189 00:10:27,280 --> 00:10:31,400 And I always had fantasies about having a piano radio show. 190 00:10:31,400 --> 00:10:36,400 So I met at a concert, purely by chance, David Osenberg, 191 00:10:36,720 --> 00:10:41,560 who is the music director of WWFM, the Classical Network. 192 00:10:41,560 --> 00:10:46,560 And I just blatantly said to him, 193 00:10:46,840 --> 00:10:49,240 you know, I've always wanted my own radio show. 194 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:52,120 Is there any chance I could do something like that? 195 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:55,880 I just blurted it out, you know, with no rhyme or reason, 196 00:10:55,880 --> 00:10:58,240 because I'm like that. 197 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:03,240 I'm very brash and direct and tactless, you know? 198 00:11:04,360 --> 00:11:06,600 And David said, well, you know, 199 00:11:06,600 --> 00:11:08,280 I've wanted to have you on as a guest. 200 00:11:08,280 --> 00:11:10,880 So why don't you come down to the station? 201 00:11:10,880 --> 00:11:13,160 And I thought, okay, I'll be coming down 202 00:11:13,160 --> 00:11:17,240 and maybe we'll talk about my being a guest on his show, 203 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:19,880 because he has a wonderful show called Cadenzo, 204 00:11:19,880 --> 00:11:23,320 where he interviews musicians all over the world. 205 00:11:23,320 --> 00:11:26,640 It's an, and he's one of the best interviewers ever. 206 00:11:26,640 --> 00:11:30,800 So I show up at the station and instead of talking 207 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:35,160 about his show, he and the general manager of the station 208 00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,560 start interviewing me and saying, well, 209 00:11:38,560 --> 00:11:40,560 what kind of show would you like to have? 210 00:11:40,560 --> 00:11:42,080 And I thought, what? 211 00:11:42,080 --> 00:11:43,240 What is this? 212 00:11:43,240 --> 00:11:46,280 And I just started winging it and I said, oh, you know, 213 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,800 I want to have a piano radio show 214 00:11:48,800 --> 00:11:50,160 where every week is different. 215 00:11:50,160 --> 00:11:53,960 Like one week I'll play all the Chopin etudes 216 00:11:53,960 --> 00:11:57,000 with one different pianist in each etude with it, 217 00:11:57,000 --> 00:12:00,160 repeating a pianist, or then maybe the following week 218 00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:03,680 I'll have a composer like, oh, I don't know, 219 00:12:03,680 --> 00:12:07,240 Terry Riley or Elliott Carter, even though he was dead, 220 00:12:07,240 --> 00:12:09,000 I could still ask Elliott Carter. 221 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:12,640 You know, somebody have them be a guest DJ 222 00:12:12,640 --> 00:12:14,720 or put a playlist together. 223 00:12:14,720 --> 00:12:19,400 Or I was just, you know, winging it. 224 00:12:19,400 --> 00:12:23,160 And they said, you know, that sounds like a good idea. 225 00:12:23,160 --> 00:12:26,680 Well, let's give you a show and we will also make you 226 00:12:26,680 --> 00:12:28,680 our artist in residence. 227 00:12:28,680 --> 00:12:29,520 Oh my goodness. 228 00:12:29,520 --> 00:12:34,480 And I thought, whoa, this is all falling into my lap. 229 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,320 It was all happening so fast. 230 00:12:37,320 --> 00:12:42,320 And so I quickly learned how to use their recording 231 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:46,200 of software, Adobe Audition. 232 00:12:46,200 --> 00:12:49,400 And I learned about the parameters of, you know, 233 00:12:49,400 --> 00:12:52,560 within 58 minutes and 30 seconds, 234 00:12:52,560 --> 00:12:54,720 I can do whatever I want, 235 00:12:54,720 --> 00:12:58,080 but I do have to do some station identification, 236 00:12:58,080 --> 00:13:00,760 you know, every once in a while. 237 00:13:00,760 --> 00:13:04,000 So I thought, this is amazing that I have a show 238 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:05,800 or I have complete freedom. 239 00:13:05,800 --> 00:13:08,360 At the same time, I really try to use 240 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:10,800 the freedom responsibly. 241 00:13:10,800 --> 00:13:13,760 For instance, you know, I'm not gonna play 58 minutes 242 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:18,760 of unlistable 12 tone music, you know. 243 00:13:18,960 --> 00:13:21,480 You know, I'm not gonna play the Ralph Shapie 244 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:25,360 from Variations, or maybe I will sometime, you never know. 245 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:30,360 But to really, you know, treat the show as, you know, 246 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:35,080 have a mission and really do what I set out to do. 247 00:13:35,080 --> 00:13:40,080 And so I've put a lot of time and thought and effort 248 00:13:41,160 --> 00:13:43,120 into this over the years. 249 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:47,960 And I've gotten a lot of good feedback and suggestions, 250 00:13:47,960 --> 00:13:52,760 and it's gonna go into its 10th anniversary next year, 251 00:13:52,760 --> 00:13:55,160 which is kind of wonderful. 252 00:13:55,160 --> 00:13:59,360 But what I did consciously try to do was 253 00:13:59,360 --> 00:14:02,720 to not make the show time sensitive, 254 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:05,560 meaning that I wouldn't talk about an immediately 255 00:14:05,560 --> 00:14:10,160 upcoming concert or upcoming event, 256 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:14,320 because I wanted the shows to be kind of timeless 257 00:14:14,320 --> 00:14:17,680 in that they can be archived somewhere, 258 00:14:17,680 --> 00:14:22,040 and they are archived online so that if you listen to them, 259 00:14:22,040 --> 00:14:24,320 they can really be from any era. 260 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:26,400 Now, of course, there are exceptions, 261 00:14:26,400 --> 00:14:31,240 because I have done some shows to promote upcoming concerts. 262 00:14:31,240 --> 00:14:35,000 And I don't do those often, but I have done those where, 263 00:14:35,000 --> 00:14:38,800 let's say, a publicist approached me saying, 264 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,920 can you do a program about this artist's upcoming concert, 265 00:14:42,920 --> 00:14:45,600 and I can give you an exclusive interview? 266 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:47,440 And I'm very happy to do that, 267 00:14:47,440 --> 00:14:49,040 because I'm happy to have the interview, 268 00:14:49,040 --> 00:14:52,520 so I don't feel like I'm compromising my integrity at all. 269 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:56,880 So each episode, is it more like a spontaneous process 270 00:14:56,880 --> 00:14:59,360 when it comes to like thinking about the theme, 271 00:14:59,360 --> 00:15:02,400 or is it well planned ahead? 272 00:15:02,400 --> 00:15:04,160 It's both, actually. 273 00:15:04,160 --> 00:15:07,440 Sometimes I will plan things ahead, 274 00:15:07,440 --> 00:15:09,440 or I'll think about a show, 275 00:15:09,440 --> 00:15:12,640 and I always write down ideas for episodes. 276 00:15:12,640 --> 00:15:15,880 And of course, these are all subject to revision 277 00:15:15,880 --> 00:15:20,720 and negotiation and rejection over time, 278 00:15:20,720 --> 00:15:24,800 but I do plan these in advance, 279 00:15:24,800 --> 00:15:29,760 and I also try not to have similar kinds of shows 280 00:15:29,760 --> 00:15:31,880 in close proximity. 281 00:15:31,880 --> 00:15:34,440 For instance, if I do a program, 282 00:15:34,440 --> 00:15:39,440 let's say I talked about the ideal Chopin Opus 10 etudes, 283 00:15:39,600 --> 00:15:44,080 where I will play all 12 etudes with one pianist 284 00:15:44,080 --> 00:15:46,600 for each etude without repeating a pianist, 285 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:48,880 I may do that one week, 286 00:15:48,880 --> 00:15:52,080 but I'm not gonna do something similar the following week, 287 00:15:52,080 --> 00:15:54,760 or even the next month, maybe. 288 00:15:54,760 --> 00:15:56,720 I might just take a couple of months 289 00:15:56,720 --> 00:15:58,720 in between that kind of programming. 290 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:01,840 And if I have a program with a guest, 291 00:16:01,840 --> 00:16:05,400 I don't wanna have two or three programs with a guest 292 00:16:06,240 --> 00:16:10,240 in one after another, over two or three weeks, 293 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,680 although sometimes it can be unavoidable. 294 00:16:12,680 --> 00:16:15,200 Recently, I did two programs 295 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:17,800 featuring young Italian pianists, 296 00:16:17,800 --> 00:16:22,680 and because I really wanted to give them attention, 297 00:16:22,680 --> 00:16:26,160 because I have friends who've been giving me CDs, 298 00:16:26,160 --> 00:16:31,160 and they really wanted to have a forum for these artists, 299 00:16:31,840 --> 00:16:33,320 and understandably so, 300 00:16:33,320 --> 00:16:38,320 I thought I'll just do two programs, part one and part two, 301 00:16:38,320 --> 00:16:39,720 one week after the next, 302 00:16:39,720 --> 00:16:41,680 and I thought that was perfectly fine. 303 00:16:41,680 --> 00:16:43,840 I don't do that all the time. 304 00:16:43,840 --> 00:16:46,840 So I really try to strike a balance 305 00:16:46,840 --> 00:16:49,720 so that there's something for everyone. 306 00:16:49,720 --> 00:16:54,720 At the end of July this year, 307 00:16:54,720 --> 00:16:59,720 I put on a show one large-scale work, 308 00:17:00,040 --> 00:17:03,560 which is a piece called 48 Variations for Two Pianos 309 00:17:03,560 --> 00:17:06,800 by John McGuire, which is, I think, 310 00:17:06,800 --> 00:17:09,600 one of the great minimalist masterpieces 311 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:11,160 in the piano literature, 312 00:17:11,160 --> 00:17:13,760 and it's a mesmerizing kind of piece, 313 00:17:13,760 --> 00:17:16,040 and this is the kind of thing that, 314 00:17:16,040 --> 00:17:18,960 ordinarily, you'd never hear it on the radio, 315 00:17:18,960 --> 00:17:22,400 and it takes almost an entire program. 316 00:17:22,400 --> 00:17:27,000 But now, I probably would not have programmed this piece, 317 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,520 let's say, early in the show's run, 318 00:17:29,520 --> 00:17:33,920 but I think since we have developed a following, 319 00:17:33,920 --> 00:17:35,960 and I've been on the air for so long, 320 00:17:36,880 --> 00:17:39,920 I thought, well, I could do something different, 321 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:43,280 and people who usually tune into the show, 322 00:17:43,280 --> 00:17:46,320 I can say, look, trust me, I wanna try something new, 323 00:17:46,320 --> 00:17:49,880 and just check your expectations at the door, 324 00:17:49,880 --> 00:17:52,320 just give yourself over to this music, 325 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,000 and don't worry, next week we'll have 326 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:57,280 Beethoven, Bach, and Brahms, and Chopin, you know? 327 00:17:57,280 --> 00:18:01,240 And I also think it's very important to be as inclusive 328 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:05,080 as possible as far as composers and performers. 329 00:18:05,080 --> 00:18:08,560 You don't wanna have just dead male Austrians 330 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:11,400 or dead male Polish pianists. 331 00:18:11,400 --> 00:18:14,280 You know, you wanna have everybody, 332 00:18:14,280 --> 00:18:16,960 because the piano world is so vast, 333 00:18:16,960 --> 00:18:20,400 and so broad, and so wide-ranging, 334 00:18:20,400 --> 00:18:24,080 and there is so much wonderful piano playing 335 00:18:24,080 --> 00:18:27,560 and piano music from all over the world, 336 00:18:27,560 --> 00:18:29,560 and I think it's important to represent it 337 00:18:29,560 --> 00:18:32,720 as best that I can. 338 00:18:32,720 --> 00:18:34,240 And another thing that I do is, 339 00:18:34,240 --> 00:18:38,800 let's say if I wanna put a Chopin waltz into the mix, 340 00:18:38,800 --> 00:18:41,080 I will look for a recording by a pianist 341 00:18:41,080 --> 00:18:45,480 who maybe isn't so well-known or has a CD on the small label, 342 00:18:45,480 --> 00:18:47,240 but it's a really good performance 343 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:49,480 that deserves to be broadcast, 344 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:53,640 so instead of pulling out the usual Arthur Rubinstein, 345 00:18:53,640 --> 00:18:55,320 you know, I love Arthur Rubinstein, 346 00:18:55,320 --> 00:18:57,360 but he doesn't need my promotion, 347 00:18:57,360 --> 00:19:01,880 but this young pianist will need more promotion. 348 00:19:01,880 --> 00:19:05,960 And David Duball actually does this on his program, 349 00:19:05,960 --> 00:19:10,560 The Piano Matters, and I think that's a very noble thing, 350 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:13,240 because he's been involved with teaching 351 00:19:13,240 --> 00:19:17,120 and mentoring young pianists for a long time, 352 00:19:17,120 --> 00:19:19,440 and I think that's also part of my mission, too, 353 00:19:19,440 --> 00:19:23,040 to just have the past and the present and the future, 354 00:19:23,040 --> 00:19:24,240 you know? 355 00:19:24,240 --> 00:19:25,080 That's awesome. 356 00:19:25,080 --> 00:19:27,880 That's quite a progressive idea. 357 00:19:27,880 --> 00:19:30,120 Now, what kind of feedback 358 00:19:30,120 --> 00:19:32,600 do you usually receive from listeners? 359 00:19:32,600 --> 00:19:35,720 Is there any particular feedback that touched you 360 00:19:35,720 --> 00:19:38,760 or surprised you, or how does this feedback influence 361 00:19:38,760 --> 00:19:42,720 the direction of the episodes, future episodes? 362 00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,680 Well, sometimes I'll get a suggestion from somebody saying, 363 00:19:46,680 --> 00:19:50,480 can you devote a program to this artist or this composer? 364 00:19:50,480 --> 00:19:53,240 And I will usually consider that, 365 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:56,040 or even if I don't do a whole episode, 366 00:19:56,040 --> 00:20:01,040 I will seriously consider, you know, a piece of music. 367 00:20:01,360 --> 00:20:05,080 What I often don't consider is people, 368 00:20:05,080 --> 00:20:08,280 a lot of people sometimes I'll say, you know, 369 00:20:08,280 --> 00:20:11,000 would you like to interview this artist or that artist? 370 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:14,880 And sometimes if I don't really like the music, 371 00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,960 then I'm not gonna give them the time of day. 372 00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:21,280 And I'm usually very honest with publicists. 373 00:20:21,280 --> 00:20:22,360 You know, like if somebody says, 374 00:20:22,360 --> 00:20:24,560 can you have this person on your show? 375 00:20:24,560 --> 00:20:27,560 I'll send them some reviews that I wrote. 376 00:20:27,560 --> 00:20:31,160 I'll say, well, I don't think this person wants to meet me 377 00:20:31,160 --> 00:20:34,000 because I said that their recording of this piece 378 00:20:34,000 --> 00:20:36,520 or that piece is the worst one ever made. 379 00:20:36,520 --> 00:20:41,120 And I, you know, that's, you know, 380 00:20:41,120 --> 00:20:45,040 that's kind of, you know, trying to balance out the reviewer 381 00:20:45,040 --> 00:20:47,040 and the presenter and the host, you know, 382 00:20:47,040 --> 00:20:49,080 that it can be kind of difficult. 383 00:20:49,080 --> 00:20:51,960 I have gotten some feedback from people saying 384 00:20:51,960 --> 00:20:56,800 that the show really helped them get through an illness 385 00:20:56,800 --> 00:20:59,400 or get through a difficult time in their life. 386 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:04,280 And during the pandemic, when there were no concerts, 387 00:21:04,280 --> 00:21:07,600 I was getting a lot of feedback from people saying 388 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:10,680 that I'm so happy to have your show 389 00:21:10,680 --> 00:21:15,440 because this is something that makes me happy 390 00:21:15,440 --> 00:21:17,320 and makes me calm. 391 00:21:17,320 --> 00:21:20,680 And that kind of feedback really, really means the world 392 00:21:20,680 --> 00:21:21,520 to me. 393 00:21:21,520 --> 00:21:25,960 Also, I often get feedback when I will play a recording 394 00:21:25,960 --> 00:21:29,720 of a pianist who I think is rather obscure or unknown. 395 00:21:29,720 --> 00:21:33,240 And I'll get an email from out of nowhere, 396 00:21:33,240 --> 00:21:35,320 from a total stranger saying, 397 00:21:35,320 --> 00:21:38,720 oh, thank you for playing the piano recordings 398 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:39,880 of Webster Aitken. 399 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:43,880 I studied with him and they gave the whole backstory 400 00:21:43,880 --> 00:21:46,240 and that's so fascinating. 401 00:21:46,240 --> 00:21:49,640 And I remember I played a recording of a composer 402 00:21:49,640 --> 00:21:52,320 who I knew nothing about. 403 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:55,560 And I got a very extensive email from somebody 404 00:21:55,560 --> 00:21:59,560 who knew this person or this person was a relative 405 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:00,560 or something like that. 406 00:22:00,560 --> 00:22:03,680 So it's always getting the feedback 407 00:22:03,680 --> 00:22:05,600 with the personal connection saying, 408 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,920 oh, I didn't realize you played my mother's piece 409 00:22:09,920 --> 00:22:14,520 and I didn't realize that this composer's son 410 00:22:14,520 --> 00:22:15,560 was listening. 411 00:22:15,560 --> 00:22:18,160 So that kind of thing makes me happy. 412 00:22:19,040 --> 00:22:21,080 It's gonna be 10th year next year? 413 00:22:21,080 --> 00:22:25,840 Well, the first show I did was March, 2015. 414 00:22:25,840 --> 00:22:30,840 So if we get into March, 2025, then I guess that's 10 years. 415 00:22:33,000 --> 00:22:37,520 But having regular faithful listeners is great 416 00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,840 but what's even more important 417 00:22:39,840 --> 00:22:42,440 is getting more people to listen. 418 00:22:42,440 --> 00:22:45,560 And for those who are just discovering the show, 419 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,560 for them to know that there are webcasts of the program 420 00:22:49,560 --> 00:22:53,000 that are posted on the station's website 421 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:55,680 for whenever you want to listen. 422 00:22:55,680 --> 00:22:58,400 Wfm.org. 423 00:22:58,400 --> 00:23:00,440 .org and the classical network. 424 00:23:00,440 --> 00:23:05,440 And they also post webcasts for their other special programs 425 00:23:05,880 --> 00:23:09,400 because they have a lot of varied programming 426 00:23:09,400 --> 00:23:10,880 that is so interesting 427 00:23:10,880 --> 00:23:14,000 and all very specialized in different ways. 428 00:23:14,000 --> 00:23:16,120 It's a really wonderful station 429 00:23:16,120 --> 00:23:19,920 and I am so grateful for the freedom that I have. 430 00:23:20,800 --> 00:23:22,960 And you've done an amazing job 431 00:23:22,960 --> 00:23:26,920 and somehow your voice through everybody. 432 00:23:26,920 --> 00:23:31,120 You have the vocal quality tone that is through there. 433 00:23:31,120 --> 00:23:32,080 It's so interesting. 434 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:35,240 Well, I was never trained as a radio personality. 435 00:23:35,240 --> 00:23:38,840 Although I remember when I was talking with Joe Patrick 436 00:23:38,840 --> 00:23:41,720 years and years ago about wanting to be a radio host, 437 00:23:41,720 --> 00:23:43,800 he said, oh, your voice is too high. 438 00:23:43,800 --> 00:23:45,560 You have a tenor voice. 439 00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,160 It's not gonna work on the radio 440 00:23:47,160 --> 00:23:51,440 because so many radio commentators have very low. 441 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:52,280 Oh, yeah, that's true. 442 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,160 Low, comforting voices. 443 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:59,280 And that was the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven. 444 00:23:59,280 --> 00:24:05,000 Or there is one, and of course they have very 445 00:24:05,000 --> 00:24:08,880 an affection in how they pronounce things. 446 00:24:08,880 --> 00:24:11,200 There's a very famous radio station 447 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:13,880 where they had an announcer say, 448 00:24:13,880 --> 00:24:17,160 and that was the Overture to Candide. 449 00:24:17,160 --> 00:24:18,960 Candide, not Candide. 450 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:22,040 Candide by Leonard Bernstein. 451 00:24:22,040 --> 00:24:22,880 Bernstein? 452 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:25,480 Well, like what is this Germanization of come? 453 00:24:25,480 --> 00:24:26,320 Aw. 454 00:24:26,320 --> 00:24:28,720 But I did hear that. 455 00:24:28,720 --> 00:24:30,720 I swear to God, I heard that. 456 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:35,360 And it's interesting because the first shows I did, 457 00:24:35,360 --> 00:24:36,840 I script everything I do 458 00:24:36,840 --> 00:24:41,120 because I can't speak spontaneously to save my life. 459 00:24:41,120 --> 00:24:42,200 But I scripted these. 460 00:24:42,200 --> 00:24:47,200 And when I hear how I was reading the scripts and talking, 461 00:24:48,440 --> 00:24:51,480 it sounds so stilted and so formal. 462 00:24:51,480 --> 00:24:53,720 And I cringe a little bit. 463 00:24:53,720 --> 00:24:57,680 And then I worked with a friend of mine, Darren Zimmer, 464 00:24:57,680 --> 00:24:59,600 who was a fantastic soprano. 465 00:24:59,600 --> 00:25:01,920 And she had listened to some of the first shows. 466 00:25:01,920 --> 00:25:03,000 And she said, you know, 467 00:25:03,000 --> 00:25:05,000 you have to work on your vocal quality. 468 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:07,400 So she gave me some coaching. 469 00:25:07,400 --> 00:25:09,400 But I try to modulate my voice 470 00:25:09,400 --> 00:25:13,400 and I try not to make it sound like this. 471 00:25:13,400 --> 00:25:17,360 And that was the Italian Concerto of Bach. 472 00:25:17,360 --> 00:25:19,520 I just tried to do it conversationally. 473 00:25:19,520 --> 00:25:21,040 Like I'll write a script. 474 00:25:21,040 --> 00:25:25,320 Then when I'm reading it, I look away. 475 00:25:25,320 --> 00:25:28,440 And, you know, of course I do a lot of editing 476 00:25:28,440 --> 00:25:30,680 where if I go, mm and ah, 477 00:25:30,680 --> 00:25:33,760 or if I mess up somebody's name 478 00:25:33,760 --> 00:25:36,680 because my pronunciation of foreign names, 479 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:39,120 especially Eastern European names, 480 00:25:39,120 --> 00:25:42,440 leaves a lot to be desired. 481 00:25:42,440 --> 00:25:47,440 So if you listen to my unedited vocal tracks on my show, 482 00:25:47,440 --> 00:25:51,120 you'll hear me messing up pronunciations 483 00:25:51,120 --> 00:25:54,360 and then practice and then have to edit everything. 484 00:25:54,360 --> 00:25:55,600 And then, and then I, 485 00:25:55,600 --> 00:25:57,560 and sometimes you'll hear me cursing 486 00:25:57,560 --> 00:25:58,960 when I screw something up. 487 00:25:58,960 --> 00:26:02,320 In fact, I think there was one broadcast 488 00:26:02,320 --> 00:26:07,320 where I messed up an edit and a four letter word went by. 489 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,880 And I don't, and nobody complained about it, 490 00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:14,040 but apparently in the webcast, 491 00:26:14,040 --> 00:26:16,400 somebody heard the webcast and wrote back saying, 492 00:26:16,400 --> 00:26:18,680 hey, you said the F word. 493 00:26:18,680 --> 00:26:21,600 And I thought, oh my God, this went on the radio. 494 00:26:21,600 --> 00:26:24,680 I'm getting, I mean, on podcasts, 495 00:26:24,680 --> 00:26:26,800 certain podcasts you can curse, 496 00:26:26,800 --> 00:26:31,800 but you can't on the broadcast radio. 497 00:26:32,040 --> 00:26:33,560 Sure, sure, sure. 498 00:26:33,560 --> 00:26:37,080 You are right now joining this conversation 499 00:26:37,080 --> 00:26:38,640 from your home, right? 500 00:26:38,640 --> 00:26:40,720 And I- This is my music studio. 501 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:41,920 You've been here. 502 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,560 I know, you invited me. 503 00:26:43,560 --> 00:26:44,680 You- Yes. 504 00:26:44,680 --> 00:26:45,840 And then we had a great time. 505 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:48,600 So is that the room actually, 506 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:50,640 you do the recording session for- 507 00:26:50,640 --> 00:26:54,240 Yeah, this is, this is, this is the chamber. 508 00:26:54,240 --> 00:26:55,080 Yeah. 509 00:26:55,080 --> 00:26:55,920 Oh wow. 510 00:26:55,920 --> 00:26:56,760 This is the torture chamber. 511 00:26:56,760 --> 00:27:00,920 And I see, I see the stack of CDs and- 512 00:27:00,920 --> 00:27:04,360 Well, in my music studio here, 513 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:08,200 all the CDs are only piano 514 00:27:08,200 --> 00:27:13,200 and they are meticulously organized and alphabetized. 515 00:27:13,200 --> 00:27:18,200 In other rooms in the hallway are my non-piano CDs, 516 00:27:20,000 --> 00:27:23,120 classical jazz, world music, whatever. 517 00:27:23,120 --> 00:27:27,160 But then I have other closets where I have box sets 518 00:27:27,160 --> 00:27:31,880 that are not piano box sets, because as a reviewer, 519 00:27:31,880 --> 00:27:34,920 I get sent so many things. 520 00:27:34,920 --> 00:27:37,160 And also because I write booklet notes 521 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:40,360 for a lot of these releases, I get copies of them. 522 00:27:40,360 --> 00:27:42,240 And I still have a lot of vinyl. 523 00:27:42,240 --> 00:27:45,360 I keep, I play a lot of vinyl on my show 524 00:27:45,360 --> 00:27:48,360 because there are so many recordings 525 00:27:48,360 --> 00:27:51,840 that have never been transferred to a digital format. 526 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,560 And often when I do programs of rare recordings 527 00:27:55,560 --> 00:27:59,520 that I like to share, which is, I consider kind of a mission, 528 00:27:59,520 --> 00:28:01,360 sometimes I'll pull down vinyl. 529 00:28:01,360 --> 00:28:06,000 And I also have a lot of hard drives that have digital files 530 00:28:06,000 --> 00:28:09,360 which I get from all kinds of places. 531 00:28:09,360 --> 00:28:13,000 And these files are, these drives are backed up 532 00:28:13,000 --> 00:28:17,200 in triplicate because you don't want them to crash. 533 00:28:17,200 --> 00:28:20,640 And then, so where I'm sitting now is, 534 00:28:20,640 --> 00:28:25,640 this is my reviewing broadcasting desk. 535 00:28:25,840 --> 00:28:29,720 But then I have another desk, which is my composing desk, 536 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:32,080 which is right next to one of my pianos 537 00:28:32,080 --> 00:28:34,280 because I have two pianos in the studio. 538 00:28:34,280 --> 00:28:37,400 So there's a lot in the studio, 539 00:28:37,400 --> 00:28:41,560 but I try not to have it cluttered or disorganized 540 00:28:41,560 --> 00:28:46,360 because it's so easy for me to discombobulate things. 541 00:28:46,360 --> 00:28:51,360 And I live in the terror of ever becoming a hoarder. 542 00:28:51,920 --> 00:28:54,560 I don't know if you know that television show, Hoarders? 543 00:28:54,560 --> 00:28:55,400 Have you ever seen that? 544 00:28:55,400 --> 00:28:56,600 Yes, I've seen it, yes. 545 00:28:56,600 --> 00:29:00,040 I am so afraid of this because my parents, 546 00:29:00,040 --> 00:29:03,640 who died a long time ago, had hoarding tendencies. 547 00:29:03,640 --> 00:29:08,480 And my father's father was a very serious hoarder. 548 00:29:08,480 --> 00:29:11,000 I mean, it's not like he had garbage piled up, 549 00:29:11,000 --> 00:29:14,480 but he would buy things in bulk. 550 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,960 I think this was an attitude among people 551 00:29:17,960 --> 00:29:20,600 who were affected by the Depression, 552 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:23,040 where if they had to buy a pencil, 553 00:29:23,040 --> 00:29:26,000 they would buy boxes of pencils because they'd be afraid 554 00:29:26,000 --> 00:29:29,600 that you wouldn't be able to find these anymore. 555 00:29:29,600 --> 00:29:34,400 And they would have a pantry full of canned food 556 00:29:34,400 --> 00:29:36,600 that was there for years and years. 557 00:29:36,600 --> 00:29:38,440 And I've seen this a lot. 558 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,880 And I'm a thrower outer, 559 00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:44,760 but I get so much mail every day 560 00:29:44,760 --> 00:29:47,400 that it's really hard to negotiate that. 561 00:29:47,400 --> 00:29:50,320 And sometimes things just pile up. 562 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:55,320 And so organization does not come naturally to me, 563 00:29:56,240 --> 00:29:57,560 but like what I was talking about, 564 00:29:57,560 --> 00:30:00,480 organizing the radio show and organizing my life, 565 00:30:00,480 --> 00:30:03,000 I'm a compulsive list maker. 566 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:08,000 And I just make sure things are put away as much as possible, 567 00:30:10,040 --> 00:30:13,200 or I can always renegotiate the spaces. 568 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:16,160 But sometimes I'll forget about things and I'm thinking, 569 00:30:16,160 --> 00:30:18,880 oh my God, what are all these CDs doing here? 570 00:30:18,880 --> 00:30:21,360 I haven't opened them in a year. 571 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:26,440 It's hard to keep track of all that, as you can imagine. 572 00:30:26,440 --> 00:30:29,880 Yeah, yeah, but it's a really fun room. 573 00:30:29,880 --> 00:30:32,040 I sit there and then there are so many, 574 00:30:32,040 --> 00:30:36,120 and you showed me this and that, different kinds of CDs. 575 00:30:36,120 --> 00:30:41,120 So, Spinoff, with your charm and kindness, Jed, 576 00:30:41,600 --> 00:30:44,520 you're after all a music critic. 577 00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:49,520 So how can one make it onto your good list 578 00:30:49,600 --> 00:30:52,200 rather than the bad list? 579 00:30:52,200 --> 00:30:54,800 For me, I think it's just, 580 00:30:54,800 --> 00:30:59,120 I'm just always in pursuit of excellence. 581 00:30:59,120 --> 00:31:01,400 That's simply that. 582 00:31:01,400 --> 00:31:05,480 And I think artistic excellence is its own justification. 583 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,000 Often somebody will say, 584 00:31:09,000 --> 00:31:12,880 I just recorded a CD of Schumann's Chrysler Rihanna. 585 00:31:12,880 --> 00:31:15,640 How many recordings of Chrysler Rihanna 586 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:16,960 do we need in the world? 587 00:31:16,960 --> 00:31:21,960 Because there are only about 10,000 of them out there. 588 00:31:21,960 --> 00:31:26,960 954 are probably excellent. 589 00:31:27,080 --> 00:31:29,760 But I think excellence is its own reward 590 00:31:29,760 --> 00:31:32,680 and whether one needs something or not, 591 00:31:32,680 --> 00:31:36,520 you have to just take each really case by case. 592 00:31:36,520 --> 00:31:40,720 And I'll give you a wonderful example of this. 593 00:31:40,720 --> 00:31:43,800 About 20 or so years ago, 594 00:31:43,800 --> 00:31:48,800 I received a recording on a small Polish label, 595 00:31:49,120 --> 00:31:51,320 actually not all that small, 596 00:31:51,320 --> 00:31:55,800 by a Polish pianist playing the Prokofiev 7th Sonata 597 00:31:55,800 --> 00:32:00,280 along with works of Skriabin and Rachmaninoff. 598 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:03,480 And I thought, okay, I've never heard of this pianist 599 00:32:03,480 --> 00:32:05,680 and this is a small label 600 00:32:05,680 --> 00:32:09,560 and how many recordings of the Prokofiev 7th Sonata 601 00:32:09,560 --> 00:32:10,400 do we need? 602 00:32:10,400 --> 00:32:13,080 And it was a knockout. 603 00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,960 It was one of the best performances of this piece 604 00:32:15,960 --> 00:32:17,360 I had ever heard. 605 00:32:17,360 --> 00:32:20,880 And I made comparisons with Maurizio Polini 606 00:32:20,880 --> 00:32:23,040 and Sveta Savvikter and Glenn Gould 607 00:32:23,040 --> 00:32:25,800 and it yielded nothing to that. 608 00:32:25,800 --> 00:32:30,440 And you can say the same for so many other pieces 609 00:32:30,440 --> 00:32:32,320 of standard repertoire. 610 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:35,800 Now, of course, when I'm reviewing something like this, 611 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:39,800 you can't compare it to every previous recording 612 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:41,000 because you'd go nuts. 613 00:32:41,000 --> 00:32:44,320 But I think that it's important as a critic 614 00:32:44,320 --> 00:32:48,240 to know the catalog because you know something 615 00:32:48,240 --> 00:32:52,040 about performance practice and the evolution of styles. 616 00:32:52,040 --> 00:32:53,480 So if somebody is gonna come out 617 00:32:53,480 --> 00:32:57,240 with a new cycle of Beethoven sonatas, 618 00:32:57,240 --> 00:32:59,960 I will make certain comparisons 619 00:32:59,960 --> 00:33:01,600 but I won't compare it to everyone. 620 00:33:01,600 --> 00:33:06,600 But I may say that this pianist is closer in style 621 00:33:07,080 --> 00:33:10,040 to the intimacy of Wilhelm Kempf 622 00:33:10,040 --> 00:33:14,960 than the more dynamic Arter Schnabel version 623 00:33:14,960 --> 00:33:16,240 or people like that. 624 00:33:16,240 --> 00:33:19,560 You know, I mean, these aren't the best examples 625 00:33:19,560 --> 00:33:23,120 but at least you can provide a small context. 626 00:33:23,120 --> 00:33:25,800 And then if the performer does something 627 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:28,480 that's kind of unique or interesting, 628 00:33:28,480 --> 00:33:29,320 you would mention that. 629 00:33:29,320 --> 00:33:32,280 But you have to talk about what the performance sounds like 630 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:37,280 in the most clear and accurate yet entertaining words 631 00:33:39,000 --> 00:33:40,120 as possible. 632 00:33:40,120 --> 00:33:43,800 So I think for me, it's just the pursuit of excellence 633 00:33:43,800 --> 00:33:45,640 is what I look for. 634 00:33:45,640 --> 00:33:48,080 The pursuit of excellence is really everything. 635 00:33:49,200 --> 00:33:52,960 But specifically, do you look for in technical precision, 636 00:33:52,960 --> 00:33:57,960 emotional depth into one recording or maybe perhaps, 637 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:00,720 well, the pianist has to be excellent 638 00:34:00,720 --> 00:34:05,720 but blend of everything, blending of those qualities or? 639 00:34:06,120 --> 00:34:08,280 Oh, ideally, yes. 640 00:34:08,280 --> 00:34:11,040 I think that also with modern recordings 641 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:16,040 because the standard of engineering and also 642 00:34:16,600 --> 00:34:18,760 technical proficiency is so high 643 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:23,760 that you really do have to judge the performer. 644 00:34:24,120 --> 00:34:28,440 One problem is because the technical standard is so high, 645 00:34:28,440 --> 00:34:31,960 it can be very difficult to ascertain 646 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,400 the different levels of excellence, 647 00:34:34,400 --> 00:34:37,040 like what is more excellent than another. 648 00:34:37,040 --> 00:34:39,680 But you want to have a combination 649 00:34:39,680 --> 00:34:44,160 of technical proficiency and musicality 650 00:34:44,160 --> 00:34:49,160 and emotional involvement and communication 651 00:34:49,320 --> 00:34:50,640 of musical meaning. 652 00:34:50,640 --> 00:34:53,360 And you do get that a lot, 653 00:34:53,360 --> 00:34:55,440 but because there's so much out there, 654 00:34:55,440 --> 00:35:00,440 sometimes it's to really try to find these, 655 00:35:00,520 --> 00:35:02,280 it can be difficult. 656 00:35:02,280 --> 00:35:07,280 But the truth is that there are more excellent recordings 657 00:35:07,280 --> 00:35:11,440 of classical music on the market at lower prices 658 00:35:11,440 --> 00:35:13,800 than at any other time in history. 659 00:35:13,800 --> 00:35:18,800 The catalog just abounds with wonderful releases. 660 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:22,120 I mean, the standard is higher than ever before. 661 00:35:22,960 --> 00:35:25,000 So what's the opposite end? 662 00:35:25,000 --> 00:35:29,000 What makes a recording fall flat, for example? 663 00:35:29,000 --> 00:35:30,120 There can be many things. 664 00:35:30,120 --> 00:35:33,760 It could be substandard engineering. 665 00:35:33,760 --> 00:35:38,760 It could be a performer who is just very mannered 666 00:35:38,840 --> 00:35:42,960 or it's not just a matter of not following 667 00:35:42,960 --> 00:35:46,040 what's in the score, but imposing so many things 668 00:35:46,040 --> 00:35:48,960 on the interpretation or micromanaging things. 669 00:35:48,960 --> 00:35:53,960 And you do find a lot of really fine musicians 670 00:35:54,120 --> 00:35:58,160 overthinking or micromanaging their performances 671 00:35:58,160 --> 00:36:01,120 where they focus on little details 672 00:36:01,120 --> 00:36:06,120 that draw more attention to themselves than to the music. 673 00:36:06,200 --> 00:36:07,560 And they don't really have to do that 674 00:36:07,560 --> 00:36:11,640 because if you have a strong personality 675 00:36:11,640 --> 00:36:14,640 and you just play a piece of music as straight as possible, 676 00:36:14,640 --> 00:36:17,520 the personality is gonna come out anyway. 677 00:36:17,520 --> 00:36:21,280 But there's a lot of micromanaging 678 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:25,480 and a lot of performers behaving badly. 679 00:36:25,480 --> 00:36:28,600 And I think it's just this determination 680 00:36:28,600 --> 00:36:30,240 to do something different. 681 00:36:30,240 --> 00:36:33,240 For the sake of being different. 682 00:36:33,240 --> 00:36:35,440 Now, for the sake of being different, 683 00:36:35,440 --> 00:36:40,440 can you do that by having to have a very interesting layout 684 00:36:41,160 --> 00:36:42,960 in a CD album, for example, 685 00:36:42,960 --> 00:36:44,960 like a combination of different composers 686 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:48,440 that will make one album stand out 687 00:36:48,440 --> 00:36:52,040 or more thoughtful way of programming? 688 00:36:52,040 --> 00:36:55,280 Well, actually, that's a really good solution 689 00:36:55,280 --> 00:36:58,360 because there are more and more pianists 690 00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:03,360 who are making CDs that are more like DJ sets 691 00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:08,640 where they're mixing and matching pieces 692 00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:10,400 from all over the place. 693 00:37:10,400 --> 00:37:13,720 And I think that this is a very refreshing 694 00:37:13,720 --> 00:37:17,920 and interesting idea because a good example of this 695 00:37:17,920 --> 00:37:21,560 is Yuja Wang because most of her solo releases 696 00:37:21,560 --> 00:37:25,160 mix and match repertoire in really interesting 697 00:37:25,160 --> 00:37:26,760 and provocative ways. 698 00:37:26,760 --> 00:37:29,840 She is not one who's gonna come out 699 00:37:29,840 --> 00:37:32,480 and record all the Chopin nocturnes, 700 00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,920 but she may record one or two nocturnes 701 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:39,280 in conjunction with a Ligeti etude or a Philip Glass etude. 702 00:37:39,280 --> 00:37:42,040 And then another piece that you may think 703 00:37:42,040 --> 00:37:43,840 has nothing to do with it, 704 00:37:43,840 --> 00:37:48,120 but actually the program trajectory really works quite well. 705 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:51,040 And she's done this both on record and in concert. 706 00:37:51,040 --> 00:37:53,640 And it's an interesting concept. 707 00:37:53,640 --> 00:37:55,440 And I think that this concept 708 00:37:55,440 --> 00:38:00,360 and I think that this kind of thing can be very healthy 709 00:38:00,360 --> 00:38:02,760 as long as it's not gimmicky. 710 00:38:02,760 --> 00:38:06,840 If it's about the gimmick in and of itself, 711 00:38:06,840 --> 00:38:08,920 then there can be problems. 712 00:38:08,920 --> 00:38:13,320 But I think that this is one way how contemporary culture 713 00:38:13,320 --> 00:38:16,880 like DJ culture where you're mixing and matching things 714 00:38:16,880 --> 00:38:21,440 and making playlists is having a positive impact. 715 00:38:22,520 --> 00:38:25,200 Really, you think? 716 00:38:25,200 --> 00:38:28,360 Well, I think in terms of programming 717 00:38:28,360 --> 00:38:32,960 and coming up with unusual yet provocative 718 00:38:32,960 --> 00:38:36,960 and artistically valid ways of presenting the music, 719 00:38:36,960 --> 00:38:41,960 because if this is a good way to introduce the repertoire 720 00:38:42,680 --> 00:38:44,920 to listeners or performers, 721 00:38:44,920 --> 00:38:48,120 then it gets them into the music. 722 00:38:48,120 --> 00:38:53,120 And then there are pianists who do want to put out 723 00:38:53,120 --> 00:38:56,240 an all Schumann recital or do a cycle of pieces. 724 00:38:56,240 --> 00:38:58,520 And that's certainly very valid, 725 00:38:58,520 --> 00:39:01,040 but I think there's so many other ways of doing it. 726 00:39:01,040 --> 00:39:05,560 And in a way, I think these mix and match playlists 727 00:39:06,560 --> 00:39:09,680 parallel what I try to do with Between the Keys, 728 00:39:10,960 --> 00:39:13,600 because I don't always play complete works 729 00:39:13,600 --> 00:39:14,760 on Between the Keys, 730 00:39:14,760 --> 00:39:17,000 or if I'm focusing on a certain artist 731 00:39:17,000 --> 00:39:19,280 or I'm focusing on the genre, 732 00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:20,920 I'll break up pieces like this. 733 00:39:20,920 --> 00:39:23,240 But then every once in a while I may do a show 734 00:39:23,240 --> 00:39:27,080 where I'll just have one or two large works. 735 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:29,280 Like recently I did a chamber music show 736 00:39:29,280 --> 00:39:32,360 focusing on the cellist Pablo Casals, 737 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:35,440 and I had a complete Bach sonata with him 738 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:38,680 and pianist Miezeslar Hrushovsky, 739 00:39:38,680 --> 00:39:42,200 and then a Beethoven sonata with Wilhelm Kempf. 740 00:39:42,200 --> 00:39:44,560 And this isn't the kind of program I do all the time, 741 00:39:44,560 --> 00:39:47,240 but I think you need both. 742 00:39:47,240 --> 00:39:50,800 I think they compliment one another. 743 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:53,440 Wow, interesting to hear that thought 744 00:39:53,440 --> 00:39:56,400 on music streaming services, because I had a question. 745 00:39:56,400 --> 00:39:57,960 Well, let's get into the question. 746 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:02,040 So, I thought you would be like totally, 747 00:40:02,040 --> 00:40:05,120 well, you can't say anti because technology is there 748 00:40:05,120 --> 00:40:09,440 and everybody listens to music from Spotify, Apple, 749 00:40:09,440 --> 00:40:10,280 and so on. 750 00:40:11,360 --> 00:40:14,280 But those giant companies, 751 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:17,360 they provide literally unparalleled access 752 00:40:17,360 --> 00:40:20,400 to that vast array of music at your fingertips. 753 00:40:20,400 --> 00:40:24,360 And however, from a musician's point of view, 754 00:40:24,360 --> 00:40:27,400 given the dominance of these streaming giants, 755 00:40:27,400 --> 00:40:29,920 it's nearly impossible to avoid them 756 00:40:29,920 --> 00:40:33,640 if you want to reach a wide audience. 757 00:40:33,640 --> 00:40:37,760 But how do you see the trade-off between the accessibility 758 00:40:37,760 --> 00:40:41,280 and then the significant loss of revenue for artists? 759 00:40:42,960 --> 00:40:44,600 I'm afraid I'm not really qualified 760 00:40:44,600 --> 00:40:46,160 to answer this question. 761 00:40:46,160 --> 00:40:48,840 No, no, thank you for being honest. 762 00:40:48,840 --> 00:40:53,360 But I'm so happy to hear actually you're really for it. 763 00:40:53,360 --> 00:40:58,000 I feel that any way to get the music out there, 764 00:40:58,000 --> 00:41:01,080 either with a physical product or streaming 765 00:41:01,080 --> 00:41:04,560 or really any format or any future format 766 00:41:04,560 --> 00:41:08,280 that we haven't even thought about, I think is valid. 767 00:41:08,280 --> 00:41:10,800 And of course, there's always the question 768 00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:12,440 of how one pays for this. 769 00:41:12,440 --> 00:41:15,560 In fact, the record producer, John Colshaw, 770 00:41:15,560 --> 00:41:18,240 who was one of the most important classical producers ever, 771 00:41:18,240 --> 00:41:19,480 he was the one who produced 772 00:41:19,480 --> 00:41:23,000 the George Shulte ring cycle in the 60s. 773 00:41:23,000 --> 00:41:27,760 He predicted this kind of thing 50 years ago. 774 00:41:27,760 --> 00:41:30,720 He said that, I won't be surprised 775 00:41:30,720 --> 00:41:34,920 if somebody just puts a credit card in a machine 776 00:41:34,920 --> 00:41:39,120 and then they get their music whenever they want to. 777 00:41:39,120 --> 00:41:42,040 It wasn't necessarily like streaming or computer, 778 00:41:42,040 --> 00:41:47,040 but he realized that there were gonna be future technologies. 779 00:41:47,040 --> 00:41:50,240 And I use all of these technologies 780 00:41:50,240 --> 00:41:53,800 in a very fluid and fluent kind of way. 781 00:41:54,680 --> 00:41:58,440 A good example of this is with streaming services. 782 00:41:58,440 --> 00:42:01,080 If I'm writing a review of, let's say, 783 00:42:01,080 --> 00:42:04,720 a new recording of the Beethoven Waldstein Sonata, 784 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:08,880 and I need to make a very quick comparison, 785 00:42:08,880 --> 00:42:11,880 but I don't wanna go through all of my shelves, 786 00:42:11,880 --> 00:42:14,040 or maybe I'm writing this review 787 00:42:14,040 --> 00:42:16,920 where I'm out of town and on my computer, 788 00:42:16,920 --> 00:42:19,280 and I don't have access to my physical files 789 00:42:19,280 --> 00:42:22,480 or physical CDs, I'll just go to Spotify 790 00:42:22,480 --> 00:42:27,480 and I'll do a search and I can check things. 791 00:42:28,560 --> 00:42:33,560 I can check how pianist X plays measure 25 versus piano Y. 792 00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:38,880 And that's a wonderful way to use that kind of technology. 793 00:42:38,880 --> 00:42:43,880 And for me, often I will use this to look for music 794 00:42:43,880 --> 00:42:45,680 or look for performances. 795 00:42:45,680 --> 00:42:48,840 If I have to find a performance of a certain piece of music, 796 00:42:48,840 --> 00:42:52,240 but it can't exceed four minutes, let's say. 797 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:55,400 Then when I'm looking at Spotify, 798 00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:59,320 or if I'm looking at iTunes, or I'm looking through, 799 00:42:59,320 --> 00:43:01,240 you know, any of these digital sources, 800 00:43:01,240 --> 00:43:04,040 I see all the timings right before me. 801 00:43:04,040 --> 00:43:09,040 But I always use physical CDs or CD quality files 802 00:43:09,360 --> 00:43:12,200 for my broadcast because it's the best quality. 803 00:43:12,200 --> 00:43:14,800 And I like having the physical discs 804 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:19,800 because you have the notes and you know, you have. 805 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:23,120 And I think as a collectible product, 806 00:43:23,120 --> 00:43:26,360 they really have a lot of value. 807 00:43:26,360 --> 00:43:28,920 And there are some record companies 808 00:43:28,920 --> 00:43:33,120 that really put a lot of care and consideration 809 00:43:33,120 --> 00:43:35,600 into the physical product. 810 00:43:35,600 --> 00:43:38,360 So you're getting a collector's item 811 00:43:38,360 --> 00:43:41,040 where you can look at wonderful records 812 00:43:41,040 --> 00:43:44,920 and look at wonderful booklet notes and photos 813 00:43:44,920 --> 00:43:47,560 and sturdy binding, you know, 814 00:43:47,560 --> 00:43:51,840 where it's really done in a very intelligent 815 00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:53,360 and respectful way. 816 00:43:54,520 --> 00:43:58,560 That's why I think a lot of these box sets coming out 817 00:43:58,560 --> 00:44:01,920 are so important, like these complete editions 818 00:44:01,920 --> 00:44:05,200 that, you know, the big companies are putting out. 819 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:07,440 For instance, I just got this. 820 00:44:07,440 --> 00:44:12,440 This is a collection of Paul Robeson's complete Columbia, 821 00:44:12,720 --> 00:44:16,720 RCA, HMV and Victor recordings. 822 00:44:16,720 --> 00:44:21,240 And it's the first time his complete recorded output 823 00:44:21,240 --> 00:44:23,440 for these labels have been assembled 824 00:44:23,440 --> 00:44:26,920 and remastered all in one place. 825 00:44:26,920 --> 00:44:31,920 And he was such an important cultural figure in America 826 00:44:31,920 --> 00:44:34,040 who's been all but forgotten, 827 00:44:34,040 --> 00:44:39,040 but he was a incredible bass baritone 828 00:44:39,120 --> 00:44:41,800 who sang spirituals and traditional songs. 829 00:44:41,800 --> 00:44:44,320 He had an extraordinary voice. 830 00:44:44,320 --> 00:44:48,240 He and Fyodor Shalyapin were the greatest basses 831 00:44:48,240 --> 00:44:50,640 of their generations. 832 00:44:50,640 --> 00:44:55,640 And this assembles all of the recordings, 833 00:44:55,720 --> 00:44:59,760 but also the documentation could not be more thorough. 834 00:44:59,760 --> 00:45:02,360 There are wonderful annotations 835 00:45:02,360 --> 00:45:06,200 by his granddaughter and by scholars. 836 00:45:06,200 --> 00:45:10,160 And you cannot imagine a more comprehensive, 837 00:45:10,160 --> 00:45:14,680 a more thorough and more caring representation 838 00:45:14,680 --> 00:45:17,080 of Paul Robeson's artistry. 839 00:45:17,080 --> 00:45:22,080 And Sony BMG has done wonderful projects like this. 840 00:45:23,200 --> 00:45:27,200 They've done some box sets containing 841 00:45:27,200 --> 00:45:31,120 the complete recorded rehearsals of Vladimir Putin 842 00:45:31,120 --> 00:45:33,760 and the complete rehearsals of Vladimir Horowitz 843 00:45:33,760 --> 00:45:37,160 leading up to his 1965 historic return 844 00:45:37,160 --> 00:45:41,680 and his 1966 follow-up concerts. 845 00:45:41,680 --> 00:45:44,720 And I wrote the notes to that box set. 846 00:45:44,720 --> 00:45:47,400 There's some other people who wrote notes too, 847 00:45:47,400 --> 00:45:51,680 but that was done in such a thorough and caring way 848 00:45:51,680 --> 00:45:54,520 where not only do you have all of the music 849 00:45:54,520 --> 00:45:55,600 and the conversation, 850 00:45:55,600 --> 00:45:59,600 but you also have the conversation written out, 851 00:45:59,600 --> 00:46:02,240 so you can follow it if you don't understand it. 852 00:46:03,120 --> 00:46:05,880 I think this represents the best 853 00:46:05,880 --> 00:46:08,640 of what physical products can offer. 854 00:46:08,640 --> 00:46:11,000 Of course, there's some box sets that are put together 855 00:46:11,000 --> 00:46:13,840 in a very slapdash shoddy way too. 856 00:46:15,120 --> 00:46:15,960 Yeah, sure. 857 00:46:17,560 --> 00:46:19,440 Before continuing this episode, 858 00:46:19,440 --> 00:46:22,520 we'd like to take a moment to highlight our sponsor, 859 00:46:22,520 --> 00:46:23,880 Keys to Success, 860 00:46:23,880 --> 00:46:27,520 whose support helps us make this episode possible. 861 00:46:27,520 --> 00:46:29,720 Are you ready to make a difference through music? 862 00:46:29,720 --> 00:46:33,280 Keys to Success is thrilled to announce our practice athon. 863 00:46:33,280 --> 00:46:36,200 For only $25, you can become a vital key 864 00:46:36,200 --> 00:46:38,680 in bolstering classical music education. 865 00:46:38,680 --> 00:46:41,400 Just like a piano is complete with 88 keys, 866 00:46:41,400 --> 00:46:44,160 our mission is complete with supporters like you. 867 00:46:44,160 --> 00:46:46,320 By registering, you commit to practicing 868 00:46:46,320 --> 00:46:48,160 1,000 minutes of music. 869 00:46:48,160 --> 00:46:50,480 Whether you're a novice or a seasoned performer, 870 00:46:50,480 --> 00:46:53,200 every minute contributes to something bigger. 871 00:46:53,200 --> 00:46:55,080 At Keys to Success, we're dedicated 872 00:46:55,080 --> 00:46:57,960 to bringing classical music opportunities to Newark 873 00:46:57,960 --> 00:47:00,520 and its surrounding suburban communities. 874 00:47:00,520 --> 00:47:04,480 Your $25 registration not only supports our mission, 875 00:47:04,480 --> 00:47:07,160 but also makes you an essential part of a movement 876 00:47:07,160 --> 00:47:10,960 that's changing the landscape of classical music education. 877 00:47:10,960 --> 00:47:13,320 Imagine this, your support could be the key 878 00:47:13,320 --> 00:47:16,240 that unlocks the potential of a young musician, 879 00:47:16,240 --> 00:47:17,960 offering them the chance to experience 880 00:47:17,960 --> 00:47:20,760 the transformative power of music. 881 00:47:20,760 --> 00:47:22,960 As members of the classical music community, 882 00:47:22,960 --> 00:47:25,000 your involvement sends a powerful message 883 00:47:25,000 --> 00:47:28,120 about the importance of nurturing the next generation. 884 00:47:28,120 --> 00:47:30,800 We're looking for classical musicians like you 885 00:47:30,800 --> 00:47:33,760 to amplify the importance of music education. 886 00:47:33,760 --> 00:47:37,200 Visit keysnewark.com to sign up and join a community 887 00:47:37,200 --> 00:47:39,320 that values the impact of every note. 888 00:47:39,320 --> 00:47:41,160 You can learn more about the practice athon 889 00:47:41,160 --> 00:47:44,000 by finding us on Instagram at KeysNewYork. 890 00:47:44,840 --> 00:47:46,880 Join our practice athon and help us create 891 00:47:46,880 --> 00:47:48,360 a symphony of change. 892 00:47:48,360 --> 00:47:51,400 With just $25, you're not only playing your part, 893 00:47:51,400 --> 00:47:53,160 you're becoming a key player in the world 894 00:47:53,160 --> 00:47:55,240 of classical music education. 895 00:47:55,240 --> 00:47:56,480 Let's make those keys sing 896 00:47:56,480 --> 00:47:58,640 and inspire the next generation together. 897 00:48:00,920 --> 00:48:05,920 So, so far we've talked about from you being the producer 898 00:48:06,480 --> 00:48:10,560 and host of the show, of your radio show, 899 00:48:10,560 --> 00:48:15,000 but now I'd like to focus on your career 900 00:48:15,000 --> 00:48:17,600 as a pianist and composer. 901 00:48:17,600 --> 00:48:21,000 So I began this episode by playing one of your works 902 00:48:21,000 --> 00:48:22,200 for two pianos. 903 00:48:22,200 --> 00:48:25,560 It's the second movement from Lose Changes. 904 00:48:25,560 --> 00:48:29,360 And I actually heard the whole thing on YouTube. 905 00:48:29,360 --> 00:48:31,440 Yes, there was the whole thing. 906 00:48:31,440 --> 00:48:35,360 Yeah, it was, they are very fun pieces, fun. 907 00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:38,800 Like 10, 11 movements, 10 movements. 908 00:48:38,800 --> 00:48:40,480 Yeah, well, you know what happened? 909 00:48:40,480 --> 00:48:43,720 I had this commission to write a piece for Quattromanni 910 00:48:43,720 --> 00:48:48,720 who are one of the best two piano teams 911 00:48:48,720 --> 00:48:52,360 around, they're extraordinary musicians. 912 00:48:52,360 --> 00:48:54,640 And I was so excited by the commission 913 00:48:54,640 --> 00:48:56,040 that I could make up my mind 914 00:48:56,040 --> 00:48:57,760 what kind of piece I wanted to write. 915 00:48:57,760 --> 00:49:01,240 And I was just coming up with all kinds of ideas. 916 00:49:01,240 --> 00:49:03,560 And I thought, oh, screw it. 917 00:49:03,560 --> 00:49:08,080 I'm just gonna write 10 or 11, however many little pieces 918 00:49:08,080 --> 00:49:10,840 and just throw all those ideas together. 919 00:49:10,840 --> 00:49:13,800 And I wrote the piece fairly quickly, 920 00:49:13,800 --> 00:49:17,240 but what's interesting about how I wrote the piece, 921 00:49:17,240 --> 00:49:21,880 I still have a very vivid memory of how one or two 922 00:49:21,880 --> 00:49:23,240 of the pieces came together, 923 00:49:23,240 --> 00:49:27,720 which is that I actually wrote it on a bus 924 00:49:27,720 --> 00:49:29,960 going from New York to Washington, DC, 925 00:49:29,960 --> 00:49:33,840 because I was going to a big massive protest 926 00:49:33,840 --> 00:49:36,400 against the Iraq war. 927 00:49:36,400 --> 00:49:39,600 I think this was in 2005. 928 00:49:39,600 --> 00:49:44,600 And I remember taking the bus back and forth to Washington. 929 00:49:44,600 --> 00:49:49,600 And I always carry these Moleskine music notebooks 930 00:49:50,720 --> 00:49:53,560 to sketch in because I write a lot of music away 931 00:49:53,560 --> 00:49:55,840 from the piano, believe it or not, 932 00:49:55,840 --> 00:49:58,960 because I was really trained to do that. 933 00:49:58,960 --> 00:50:01,000 I always check things at the piano. 934 00:50:01,000 --> 00:50:04,280 And it's interesting that when I'm writing solo piano, 935 00:50:04,280 --> 00:50:06,520 I do tend to sit at the piano. 936 00:50:06,520 --> 00:50:09,200 But if I'm writing for two pianos, 937 00:50:09,200 --> 00:50:11,680 I get distracted and I get confused. 938 00:50:11,680 --> 00:50:13,240 And I find it so much easier 939 00:50:13,240 --> 00:50:15,480 to write away from the piano 940 00:50:15,480 --> 00:50:18,520 because then each piano has its own voice 941 00:50:18,520 --> 00:50:20,360 and its own duties. 942 00:50:20,360 --> 00:50:23,520 So it's a little easier for me to do that 943 00:50:23,520 --> 00:50:26,520 without being burdened by two hands trying to play 944 00:50:26,520 --> 00:50:28,200 what four hands are gonna do. 945 00:50:28,200 --> 00:50:30,600 Of course, when I get home, I check everything 946 00:50:30,600 --> 00:50:31,960 and I make revisions. 947 00:50:31,960 --> 00:50:35,960 I always do because I don't totally trust my hearing. 948 00:50:35,960 --> 00:50:40,960 But a lot of loose changes happened on those bus rides. 949 00:50:40,960 --> 00:50:43,360 It's kind of funny. 950 00:50:43,360 --> 00:50:45,080 But I had so much fun with it. 951 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:48,880 And they and Quattromanni just played 952 00:50:48,880 --> 00:50:50,840 the living daylights out of this piece. 953 00:50:50,840 --> 00:50:54,640 Their recording is just phenomenal. 954 00:50:54,640 --> 00:50:56,640 That's one reason why I've been reluctant 955 00:50:56,640 --> 00:50:58,320 to perform the piece myself 956 00:50:58,320 --> 00:51:01,720 because I don't think I could do it better than them. 957 00:51:01,720 --> 00:51:03,680 Yeah, it's a fantastic recording. 958 00:51:03,680 --> 00:51:07,760 The album is called Kindert Spirits, right? 959 00:51:07,760 --> 00:51:09,080 Yes, yes, yes. 960 00:51:09,080 --> 00:51:13,520 Yes, it's a compilation with different composers. 961 00:51:13,520 --> 00:51:14,680 Yeah. That's true. 962 00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:15,600 That's right. 963 00:51:15,600 --> 00:51:18,160 So when I research your life 964 00:51:18,160 --> 00:51:21,200 and you started as a jazz pianist, correct? 965 00:51:21,200 --> 00:51:23,560 Oh yeah, I thought I was gonna go into jazz. 966 00:51:23,560 --> 00:51:25,160 That was my... 967 00:51:25,160 --> 00:51:28,040 I often say that it's a first language 968 00:51:28,040 --> 00:51:29,960 that I seldom speak. 969 00:51:29,960 --> 00:51:33,120 But when I speak it, when I have the opportunities, 970 00:51:33,120 --> 00:51:36,280 I have so much fun and I love it so much. 971 00:51:36,280 --> 00:51:38,800 But I didn't really pursue a jazz career. 972 00:51:38,800 --> 00:51:40,240 I probably could have, 973 00:51:40,240 --> 00:51:43,840 but I think there's an episode of The Simpsons 974 00:51:43,840 --> 00:51:46,880 where Bart Simpson is placed in a special class 975 00:51:46,880 --> 00:51:50,040 and he says, oh no, I'm supposed to be in this other class. 976 00:51:50,040 --> 00:51:51,680 And the teacher says, oh, 977 00:51:51,680 --> 00:51:54,960 it looks like you have a case of the Spostas. 978 00:51:54,960 --> 00:51:56,400 And I kept thinking, oh, 979 00:51:56,400 --> 00:51:59,000 I'm supposed to study classical piano. 980 00:51:59,000 --> 00:52:00,760 I'm supposed to be composing. 981 00:52:00,760 --> 00:52:04,120 And I was so interested in it and I wanted to compose, 982 00:52:04,120 --> 00:52:07,320 but I think I was going into it a lot out of guilt, 983 00:52:07,320 --> 00:52:10,680 out of a feeling I should be... 984 00:52:10,680 --> 00:52:12,000 Why am I playing jazz? 985 00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:14,360 I should be learning the Chopin etudes. 986 00:52:14,360 --> 00:52:17,720 I should be learning the Beethoven sonatas. 987 00:52:17,720 --> 00:52:21,320 It's the should-ofs and the Spostas. 988 00:52:21,320 --> 00:52:24,280 And I thought that would make me 989 00:52:24,280 --> 00:52:26,280 a little bit more legitimate maybe. 990 00:52:26,280 --> 00:52:27,120 I don't know. 991 00:52:28,360 --> 00:52:31,040 It's not that I have no regret 992 00:52:31,040 --> 00:52:34,360 because contemporary classical music 993 00:52:34,360 --> 00:52:37,640 and classical music has been very good to me 994 00:52:37,640 --> 00:52:39,840 and I've gotten so much out of it. 995 00:52:39,840 --> 00:52:44,840 And I have a pretty diverse body of composed work. 996 00:52:46,280 --> 00:52:48,640 I haven't written as much music as I wanted to. 997 00:52:48,640 --> 00:52:52,360 I go through very prolific period, 998 00:52:52,360 --> 00:52:57,360 but I suppose I really should be composing full-time 999 00:52:58,520 --> 00:53:00,880 and not doing any of these activities. 1000 00:53:00,880 --> 00:53:03,600 If I was given all the money in the world, 1001 00:53:03,600 --> 00:53:06,360 that's probably what I would do. 1002 00:53:06,360 --> 00:53:10,480 But I love the radio show and I love playing the piano. 1003 00:53:10,480 --> 00:53:14,240 I've played classical recitals and I've done collaborations, 1004 00:53:14,240 --> 00:53:15,720 but there's certain things 1005 00:53:15,720 --> 00:53:17,320 I just don't want to play in public. 1006 00:53:17,320 --> 00:53:20,080 Like you're never gonna hear me play a Mozart concerto 1007 00:53:20,080 --> 00:53:22,840 in public ever because there are too many people 1008 00:53:22,840 --> 00:53:24,240 who do it really well. 1009 00:53:24,240 --> 00:53:27,200 About maybe 10, 12 years ago, 1010 00:53:27,200 --> 00:53:31,560 I had to play the Mozart-Kegelstadt trio. 1011 00:53:31,560 --> 00:53:34,480 I worked my butt off on the piano part 1012 00:53:34,480 --> 00:53:36,880 because it's really like playing a piano concerto. 1013 00:53:36,880 --> 00:53:41,880 It's a wonderful piece, but I worked like crazy on it 1014 00:53:41,880 --> 00:53:46,040 because the flow of the phrasing 1015 00:53:46,040 --> 00:53:49,320 maybe didn't come as natural to me as I would have liked. 1016 00:53:49,320 --> 00:53:53,320 And I was just preparing it and sweating buckets 1017 00:53:53,320 --> 00:53:55,440 and the performance went well, 1018 00:53:55,440 --> 00:53:59,920 but I have to say I did not enjoy it at all. 1019 00:53:59,920 --> 00:54:04,440 I do not enjoy recording classical music 1020 00:54:04,440 --> 00:54:07,080 because the pressure is just too much. 1021 00:54:07,080 --> 00:54:12,080 And I made a decision that I would never record 1022 00:54:12,080 --> 00:54:14,920 classical music again, unless I'm recording my own works, 1023 00:54:14,920 --> 00:54:18,160 because if I mess something up, nobody's gonna know, right? 1024 00:54:19,280 --> 00:54:21,400 But thank you for telling me all this 1025 00:54:21,400 --> 00:54:25,200 because I think lately, especially, 1026 00:54:25,200 --> 00:54:28,440 I'm sure you noticed this as a radio show host too, 1027 00:54:28,440 --> 00:54:32,000 but you can really find your own identity through music. 1028 00:54:32,000 --> 00:54:35,880 So there's no like, oh, you have to play this piece 1029 00:54:35,880 --> 00:54:39,360 and then you have to go through this specific program 1030 00:54:41,120 --> 00:54:44,320 or route to become- 1031 00:54:44,320 --> 00:54:45,640 Look, don't get me wrong. 1032 00:54:45,640 --> 00:54:49,120 I am so happy that I learned the Chopin etudes 1033 00:54:49,120 --> 00:54:51,160 at a young age when I did. 1034 00:54:51,160 --> 00:54:53,480 I mean, not that I can, 1035 00:54:53,480 --> 00:54:56,040 it would take me a while to get them back in my fingers, 1036 00:54:56,040 --> 00:54:58,440 but if I'm teaching master classes, 1037 00:54:58,440 --> 00:55:01,440 because I know this repertoire, I can demonstrate things. 1038 00:55:01,440 --> 00:55:04,080 I mean, I can't play any of these pieces 1039 00:55:04,080 --> 00:55:06,320 as well as the students who bring things into me, 1040 00:55:06,320 --> 00:55:10,080 but I can look at them and I can give them suggestions 1041 00:55:10,080 --> 00:55:13,520 about how to make something technically easier 1042 00:55:13,520 --> 00:55:15,440 or ways of getting around things 1043 00:55:15,440 --> 00:55:20,440 or ways to communicate what's in the score 1044 00:55:22,120 --> 00:55:25,000 in a better and clearer way. 1045 00:55:25,000 --> 00:55:30,000 So I have no regrets at all. 1046 00:55:30,920 --> 00:55:34,960 I don't think it was certainly not time wasted, 1047 00:55:34,960 --> 00:55:39,840 but are you gonna see me playing the Chopin etudes 1048 00:55:39,840 --> 00:55:41,000 in front of people? 1049 00:55:41,000 --> 00:55:43,880 No, of course not. 1050 00:55:43,880 --> 00:55:45,640 Who needs it? 1051 00:55:45,640 --> 00:55:50,600 On the other hand, there are some contemporary pieces 1052 00:55:50,600 --> 00:55:53,440 that I'm very happy to play in public, 1053 00:55:53,440 --> 00:55:56,240 which I feel very comfortable doing 1054 00:55:56,240 --> 00:56:00,040 and I think that I can bring something to them. 1055 00:56:00,040 --> 00:56:03,360 I actually have some recital programs planned for next year, 1056 00:56:03,360 --> 00:56:07,120 which I'm very excited about the program. 1057 00:56:07,120 --> 00:56:08,680 Tell me more. 1058 00:56:08,680 --> 00:56:12,040 Well, one piece is a set of variations 1059 00:56:12,040 --> 00:56:16,360 called We Sing for the Future by Cornelius Cardew. 1060 00:56:16,360 --> 00:56:20,000 And he was a close friend and colleague of Frederick Siewski, 1061 00:56:20,000 --> 00:56:23,280 who was a very close friend and kind of a mentor to me 1062 00:56:23,280 --> 00:56:25,640 at the great composer pianist. 1063 00:56:25,640 --> 00:56:27,520 And Frederick turned me on to this piece 1064 00:56:27,520 --> 00:56:30,520 and it was the last piece that Cardew wrote 1065 00:56:30,520 --> 00:56:35,520 before he was murdered in a hit and run accident. 1066 00:56:35,760 --> 00:56:40,240 And it's a very tonal piece, 1067 00:56:40,240 --> 00:56:44,280 but it also uses the piano in very ingenuous ways. 1068 00:56:44,280 --> 00:56:46,960 And it's part of a concert of music 1069 00:56:46,960 --> 00:56:50,600 that has to do with heroism, has to do with pieces, 1070 00:56:50,600 --> 00:56:55,600 has to do with some kind of political import, I suppose. 1071 00:56:55,680 --> 00:57:00,680 And then after the Cardew, I played the funeral march 1072 00:57:01,200 --> 00:57:04,920 from Beethoven's Eroica Symphony in the Liszt transcription. 1073 00:57:06,120 --> 00:57:07,840 What a juxtaposition. 1074 00:57:07,840 --> 00:57:09,960 Then the second half of the concert, 1075 00:57:09,960 --> 00:57:13,240 I'll probably write a new set of variations, 1076 00:57:13,240 --> 00:57:16,760 I guess, based on the Ukrainian national anthem. 1077 00:57:16,760 --> 00:57:21,120 Then I play Frederick Siewski's fantasy 1078 00:57:21,120 --> 00:57:25,760 based on John Lennon's Give Piece a Chance, 1079 00:57:25,760 --> 00:57:27,440 which I've played many times. 1080 00:57:27,440 --> 00:57:29,880 And there's also room for improvisation. 1081 00:57:29,880 --> 00:57:32,960 Also, in these pieces, one can improvise. 1082 00:57:32,960 --> 00:57:37,720 And I love to improvise in classical contexts. 1083 00:57:37,720 --> 00:57:40,560 That's why I love playing a lot of Siewski's pieces, 1084 00:57:40,560 --> 00:57:47,000 because he also gives room for one to play optional cadenzas. 1085 00:57:47,000 --> 00:57:49,840 And then I finished the concert with a piece by Alvin Curran, 1086 00:57:49,840 --> 00:57:53,520 who's a wonderful composer and pianist. 1087 00:57:53,520 --> 00:57:56,840 And he and Frederick and the late Richard Teitelbaum 1088 00:57:56,840 --> 00:58:01,840 formed Musica electronica viva in Rome in the late 1960s, 1089 00:58:01,880 --> 00:58:06,160 which was a great collective improvisation group 1090 00:58:06,160 --> 00:58:10,840 that had really tremendous impact on their time. 1091 00:58:10,840 --> 00:58:13,800 Alvin wrote a piece in memory of Cornelius, 1092 00:58:13,800 --> 00:58:15,800 because he was a friend of Cornelius also. 1093 00:58:15,800 --> 00:58:18,000 It's called Four Cornelius. 1094 00:58:18,000 --> 00:58:22,160 And it's a piece that opens with a kind of lament 1095 00:58:22,160 --> 00:58:26,680 that wouldn't be out of place in Eric Satie's Gymnopédie. 1096 00:58:26,680 --> 00:58:30,240 And then it goes into this relentless section 1097 00:58:30,240 --> 00:58:33,800 of these building tremolos in both hands 1098 00:58:33,800 --> 00:58:37,440 that builds to an extraordinary climax. 1099 00:58:37,440 --> 00:58:40,200 And this is a piece that's been in my repertoire for ages. 1100 00:58:40,200 --> 00:58:42,200 It's an extraordinary piece. 1101 00:58:42,200 --> 00:58:44,800 So I think the trajectory is kind of interesting, 1102 00:58:44,800 --> 00:58:48,160 starting with Cornelius's last piece, 1103 00:58:48,160 --> 00:58:50,240 and then a piece written in memory. 1104 00:58:50,240 --> 00:58:53,040 Then you have Give Peace a Chance, and then the Funeral 1105 00:58:53,040 --> 00:58:57,920 March, and then Give Something of Mine 1106 00:58:57,920 --> 00:59:00,960 to Reflect the State of the World. 1107 00:59:00,960 --> 00:59:04,240 So you have the subtext that I'm talking about, 1108 00:59:04,240 --> 00:59:09,360 but also musically, it all is very unified and makes sense, 1109 00:59:09,360 --> 00:59:10,760 and it's very diverse. 1110 00:59:10,760 --> 00:59:14,600 And programming is very important to me, 1111 00:59:14,600 --> 00:59:18,440 I think, as you've gathered, as a piano player, 1112 00:59:18,440 --> 00:59:21,120 as well as a radio host. 1113 00:59:21,120 --> 00:59:24,600 I think programming in order and contrast, 1114 00:59:24,600 --> 00:59:26,760 this has all been very, very important to me. 1115 00:59:26,760 --> 00:59:31,200 And it's interesting how a lot of really wonderful pianists 1116 00:59:31,200 --> 00:59:34,920 really are not very good programmers. 1117 00:59:34,920 --> 00:59:37,800 Yes, yes. 1118 00:59:37,800 --> 00:59:42,600 I guess one must keep researching these pieces 1119 00:59:42,600 --> 00:59:46,320 and getting to know contemporary composers. 1120 00:59:46,320 --> 00:59:49,560 Oh, well, there's so much out there. 1121 00:59:49,560 --> 00:59:53,280 I mean, there's just such a vast amount of music. 1122 00:59:53,280 --> 00:59:57,080 Another thing that I've been doing in my piano playing life 1123 00:59:57,080 --> 01:00:00,760 over the last two or three years after the pandemic finished 1124 01:00:00,760 --> 01:00:02,920 and concerts opened up, I started 1125 01:00:02,920 --> 01:00:07,600 playing symphonic repertoire in piano forehand arrangements 1126 01:00:07,600 --> 01:00:10,440 with different friends in the US. 1127 01:00:10,440 --> 01:00:12,960 And I've been doing Mahler. 1128 01:00:12,960 --> 01:00:18,160 My first experience was playing the Mahler Ninth Symphony 1129 01:00:18,160 --> 01:00:22,040 with my dear, dear friend Jerry Kuderna, 1130 01:00:22,040 --> 01:00:25,200 who is a pianist who's based in Berkeley. 1131 01:00:25,200 --> 01:00:28,600 He's a great teacher, a wonderful artist, 1132 01:00:28,600 --> 01:00:33,920 and he's probably my closest friend among pianists 1133 01:00:33,920 --> 01:00:35,960 in the United States. 1134 01:00:35,960 --> 01:00:40,040 And we had the opportunity to play the Mahler Ninth Symphony 1135 01:00:40,040 --> 01:00:46,440 at the Catacombs in the Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn 1136 01:00:46,440 --> 01:00:50,880 at a series that Andrew Owsley produces during the summer. 1137 01:00:50,880 --> 01:00:53,800 It was really extraordinary to play the Mahler Ninth 1138 01:00:53,800 --> 01:01:00,480 Forehands in this small catacomb with a very small audience. 1139 01:01:00,480 --> 01:01:04,080 And this is the cemetery where Leonard Bernstein is buried, 1140 01:01:04,080 --> 01:01:06,400 so I'm sure he was listening to the Mahler 1141 01:01:06,400 --> 01:01:07,760 and probably cringing. 1142 01:01:07,760 --> 01:01:10,240 I could have imagined his spirit saying, 1143 01:01:10,240 --> 01:01:15,320 get off that piano bench and let me show you how it's done. 1144 01:01:15,320 --> 01:01:18,720 And then Jerry and I played the Mahler several more times. 1145 01:01:18,720 --> 01:01:23,960 In fact, we will be playing it on the Salon Concerts 1146 01:01:23,960 --> 01:01:26,600 at Clavier House series, for which 1147 01:01:26,600 --> 01:01:29,160 I became artistic director. 1148 01:01:29,160 --> 01:01:32,200 I also played the Mahler Second last year 1149 01:01:32,200 --> 01:01:36,120 in a benefit for Ukraine in London with the pianist 1150 01:01:36,120 --> 01:01:38,600 Gabriele Baldacci. 1151 01:01:38,600 --> 01:01:42,960 I played Mahler Fifth in Milano with Massimo Giuseppe Bianchi. 1152 01:01:42,960 --> 01:01:44,280 What a wonderful pianist. 1153 01:01:44,280 --> 01:01:47,200 I've played the Mahler First in New York 1154 01:01:47,200 --> 01:01:53,320 with Drew Peterson, who won the American Pianist Association 1155 01:01:53,320 --> 01:01:55,240 Award in 2017. 1156 01:01:55,240 --> 01:01:59,960 He's one of the most gifted pianists of his generation. 1157 01:01:59,960 --> 01:02:03,520 And it's not official yet, but there 1158 01:02:03,520 --> 01:02:09,000 looks like there's going to be a Mahler Six in Helsinki in 2025, 1159 01:02:09,000 --> 01:02:10,920 I hope, but I don't really know. 1160 01:02:10,920 --> 01:02:14,800 I also played Shostakovich Ninth with Peter Jablonsky 1161 01:02:14,800 --> 01:02:18,000 last year in Karlskrona, Sweden. 1162 01:02:18,000 --> 01:02:21,000 That was such a wonderful collaboration. 1163 01:02:21,000 --> 01:02:24,320 And that is Shostakovich's own arrangement, 1164 01:02:24,320 --> 01:02:27,240 and it worked so well for the piano. 1165 01:02:27,240 --> 01:02:29,080 Some of his other symphonies I don't 1166 01:02:29,080 --> 01:02:31,800 think would be as effective on the piano, 1167 01:02:31,800 --> 01:02:34,000 even though he did the arrangements. 1168 01:02:34,000 --> 01:02:35,760 Like Symphony No. 1169 01:02:35,760 --> 01:02:39,960 11, I think, relies so much on the orchestration 1170 01:02:39,960 --> 01:02:43,400 and also the ambient atmosphere in a concert hall 1171 01:02:43,400 --> 01:02:48,880 that it might be a little fatiguing to hear that. 1172 01:02:48,880 --> 01:02:50,120 I don't know. 1173 01:02:50,120 --> 01:02:51,120 It's kind of strange. 1174 01:02:51,120 --> 01:02:54,880 You have to really be selective. 1175 01:02:54,880 --> 01:02:57,320 Some of these transcriptions really 1176 01:02:57,320 --> 01:03:00,600 lend themselves to public performance. 1177 01:03:00,600 --> 01:03:02,440 Certainly Shostakovich Ninth does. 1178 01:03:02,440 --> 01:03:06,800 Mahler Ninth really works very well on piano. 1179 01:03:06,800 --> 01:03:11,000 The Mahler First does, although you have endless tremolos, 1180 01:03:11,000 --> 01:03:13,840 and I think this probably is served better 1181 01:03:13,840 --> 01:03:17,880 by an orchestra maybe. 1182 01:03:17,880 --> 01:03:21,320 Are these transcribed by who? 1183 01:03:21,320 --> 01:03:23,000 Different people. 1184 01:03:23,000 --> 01:03:25,920 Bruno Walter did the Mahler First and Second, 1185 01:03:25,920 --> 01:03:29,280 and he was Mahler's disciple. 1186 01:03:29,280 --> 01:03:34,000 So that has a lot of validity to that. 1187 01:03:34,000 --> 01:03:37,320 A lot of the others were done by house arrangers, 1188 01:03:37,320 --> 01:03:40,080 because a lot of these music publishing companies 1189 01:03:40,080 --> 01:03:43,600 had arrangers who were not really well-known musicians, 1190 01:03:43,600 --> 01:03:46,600 but they made a living making transcriptions, 1191 01:03:46,600 --> 01:03:49,360 because this is what you had before you 1192 01:03:49,360 --> 01:03:52,120 had radio and recordings. 1193 01:03:52,120 --> 01:03:54,720 If you wanted to hear the new Brahms Symphony, 1194 01:03:54,720 --> 01:03:58,040 either you had to take a horse and buggy to Vienna 1195 01:03:58,040 --> 01:04:00,200 for three days, or otherwise you'd 1196 01:04:00,200 --> 01:04:02,640 buy the forehand arrangement. 1197 01:04:02,640 --> 01:04:05,400 Actually, Brahms either did his own arrangements 1198 01:04:05,400 --> 01:04:08,200 or supervised other people doing them, 1199 01:04:08,200 --> 01:04:12,880 or you would play it yourself at home. 1200 01:04:12,880 --> 01:04:18,520 And the piano, as you know, was the home entertainment center 1201 01:04:18,520 --> 01:04:24,560 from about 1840-something up until the early 1930s. 1202 01:04:24,560 --> 01:04:27,800 And I have a big collection of forehand music. 1203 01:04:27,800 --> 01:04:30,260 I love playing these things. 1204 01:04:30,260 --> 01:04:33,000 When I have my pianist friends over, 1205 01:04:33,000 --> 01:04:37,240 I rope them into sight reading through Haydn quartets 1206 01:04:37,240 --> 01:04:41,760 or Debussy, La Mer, or whatever. 1207 01:04:41,760 --> 01:04:45,320 And what I like about that is that it's fun, 1208 01:04:45,320 --> 01:04:48,000 and there's no professional pressure attached to that, 1209 01:04:48,000 --> 01:04:52,080 although ironically, it's becoming a profession for me. 1210 01:04:52,080 --> 01:04:54,840 So I do have the professional pressure. 1211 01:04:54,840 --> 01:04:57,080 But at the same time, because they're transcriptions, 1212 01:04:57,080 --> 01:05:00,760 like if you have some passages of ridiculously hard octaves, 1213 01:05:00,760 --> 01:05:04,520 I'll usually leave stuff out, because hey, 1214 01:05:04,520 --> 01:05:08,320 it's a transcription of a transcription or something. 1215 01:05:08,320 --> 01:05:12,920 And you've done so many interesting gigs. 1216 01:05:12,920 --> 01:05:15,120 But one thing I realized was, what 1217 01:05:15,120 --> 01:05:20,640 is this 175 electronic keyboards, the Guinness record? 1218 01:05:20,640 --> 01:05:22,640 Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. 1219 01:05:22,640 --> 01:05:24,760 This is a fun project. 1220 01:05:24,760 --> 01:05:28,840 What happened was I was involved for quite a few years 1221 01:05:28,840 --> 01:05:33,080 with Make Music New York, which is an organization that 1222 01:05:33,080 --> 01:05:37,600 produces free concerts, mostly in outdoor venues, 1223 01:05:37,600 --> 01:05:41,360 all over the city on June 21. 1224 01:05:41,360 --> 01:05:45,400 I was involved with the first one done in New York in 2007, 1225 01:05:45,400 --> 01:05:50,480 where I led a performance of Terry Riley's minimalist 1226 01:05:50,480 --> 01:05:53,240 manifesto, a minimalist masterpiece, 1227 01:05:53,240 --> 01:05:59,600 in C with 100-plus musicians on Cornelia Street in Greenwich 1228 01:05:59,600 --> 01:06:02,800 Village, because the Cornelia Street Cafe was 1229 01:06:02,800 --> 01:06:08,280 a place where I hosted a monthly contemporary music 1230 01:06:08,280 --> 01:06:09,560 series for years. 1231 01:06:09,560 --> 01:06:13,960 And I was very, very involved with musical activities 1232 01:06:13,960 --> 01:06:15,480 at the cafe. 1233 01:06:15,480 --> 01:06:18,840 And the owner of the cafe, Robin Hirsch, 1234 01:06:18,840 --> 01:06:23,840 who is an actor and writer, was very supportive 1235 01:06:23,840 --> 01:06:26,040 of my musical activities. 1236 01:06:26,040 --> 01:06:29,720 So when this opportunity came up with Make Music New York, 1237 01:06:29,720 --> 01:06:33,400 I asked Robin, do you think we could do a big thing 1238 01:06:33,400 --> 01:06:34,200 on the street? 1239 01:06:34,200 --> 01:06:36,720 So we got permission from the city 1240 01:06:36,720 --> 01:06:40,280 and the other businesses knew about this. 1241 01:06:40,280 --> 01:06:42,560 So it was very, very successful. 1242 01:06:42,560 --> 01:06:43,760 It was a lot of fun. 1243 01:06:43,760 --> 01:06:48,880 And so for the next several years, 1244 01:06:48,880 --> 01:06:54,520 my music nonprofit organization, Composers Collaborative, 1245 01:06:54,520 --> 01:06:57,680 produced or either co-produced big events 1246 01:06:57,680 --> 01:07:00,440 on the street on June 21. 1247 01:07:00,440 --> 01:07:05,280 So what happened is, on June 21, 2013, 1248 01:07:05,280 --> 01:07:07,680 Make Music New York was interested in doing 1249 01:07:07,680 --> 01:07:10,560 a multi-keyboard project where Yamaha would 1250 01:07:10,560 --> 01:07:17,160 donate 175 or so keyboards, however many keyboards it 1251 01:07:17,160 --> 01:07:19,840 would take to break the Guinness Book 1252 01:07:19,840 --> 01:07:25,120 Record of number of keyboards playing simultaneously. 1253 01:07:25,120 --> 01:07:28,320 So they asked if I was interested in participating. 1254 01:07:28,320 --> 01:07:31,400 So I thought, well, why don't I write a piece of music for this? 1255 01:07:31,400 --> 01:07:34,040 So I wrote a piece called Broken Record, 1256 01:07:34,040 --> 01:07:36,840 which was a piece that was more of an installation 1257 01:07:36,840 --> 01:07:41,080 and a kind of environmental piece where there were written 1258 01:07:41,080 --> 01:07:43,280 notes, but there were also gestures, 1259 01:07:43,280 --> 01:07:47,200 like I would have blocks of time saying, 1260 01:07:47,200 --> 01:07:51,800 from two minutes and 30 seconds to four minutes and 40 seconds, 1261 01:07:51,800 --> 01:07:54,280 you just play arpeggios. 1262 01:07:54,280 --> 01:07:56,880 And so I had all of these keyboards. 1263 01:07:56,880 --> 01:08:02,440 And my wife, Maria Scarpini, who is a visual artist, 1264 01:08:02,440 --> 01:08:06,480 arranged the look of the keyboards on the street. 1265 01:08:06,480 --> 01:08:09,240 She did the chenography where she 1266 01:08:09,240 --> 01:08:12,120 made an outline of where to place the keyboards 1267 01:08:12,120 --> 01:08:15,160 and also where to place the five conductors that I had. 1268 01:08:15,160 --> 01:08:19,600 And she did this in a way where pedestrians could walk up 1269 01:08:19,600 --> 01:08:22,400 and down the street and hear the piece 1270 01:08:22,400 --> 01:08:25,480 from different perspectives because things sounded 1271 01:08:25,480 --> 01:08:28,880 very different from wherever you were on the street. 1272 01:08:28,880 --> 01:08:32,520 Now, the thing was is that we wouldn't 1273 01:08:32,520 --> 01:08:39,280 have been able to qualify for the Guinness record 1274 01:08:39,280 --> 01:08:43,040 unless we played a familiar composition. 1275 01:08:43,040 --> 01:08:47,000 And who the hell knows Jed Disler's composition, 1276 01:08:47,000 --> 01:08:48,120 Broken Record? 1277 01:08:48,120 --> 01:08:51,400 But everybody knows the Pachelbel canon, right? 1278 01:08:51,400 --> 01:08:51,920 Yeah. 1279 01:08:51,920 --> 01:08:52,600 Right. 1280 01:08:52,600 --> 01:08:53,960 So what did I do? 1281 01:08:53,960 --> 01:08:56,600 I made an arrangement of the Pachelbel canon 1282 01:08:56,600 --> 01:08:58,680 for 175 keyboards. 1283 01:08:58,680 --> 01:09:01,040 And we opened with that. 1284 01:09:01,040 --> 01:09:02,600 Wow. 1285 01:09:02,600 --> 01:09:05,080 Wow, I can't imagine. 1286 01:09:05,080 --> 01:09:09,040 Oh, well, there's if you go on YouTube, 1287 01:09:09,040 --> 01:09:11,080 you'll find a video of this. 1288 01:09:11,080 --> 01:09:12,680 It's really kind of amusing. 1289 01:09:12,680 --> 01:09:14,240 I'll send you a link to it. 1290 01:09:14,240 --> 01:09:18,240 It was a lot of fun, but it was also a lot of hard work. 1291 01:09:18,240 --> 01:09:22,760 But it's a project that I would love to do again, 1292 01:09:22,760 --> 01:09:28,400 but to do it on a larger scale in another outdoor venue, 1293 01:09:28,400 --> 01:09:32,080 but also to have an infrastructure that would 1294 01:09:32,080 --> 01:09:41,160 include a sound engineer and really good financial support. 1295 01:09:41,160 --> 01:09:45,240 Because I think it's something that can involve communities. 1296 01:09:45,240 --> 01:09:48,000 And a lot of the people who participated 1297 01:09:48,000 --> 01:09:50,360 were not professional performers. 1298 01:09:50,360 --> 01:09:52,000 Like there were a lot of school kids. 1299 01:09:52,000 --> 01:09:57,680 In fact, one of the school kids was 1300 01:09:57,680 --> 01:10:01,120 Cameron Glass, whose father is Philip Glass. 1301 01:10:01,120 --> 01:10:02,560 And of course, Philip showed up. 1302 01:10:02,560 --> 01:10:04,760 And then we roped him into playing. 1303 01:10:04,760 --> 01:10:08,160 So I can say that Philip Glass performed my compositions. 1304 01:10:08,160 --> 01:10:10,360 But there are a lot of other composers there. 1305 01:10:10,360 --> 01:10:13,120 The late Noah Krzyzewski, who was 1306 01:10:13,120 --> 01:10:17,320 one of the great electronic composers of his generation. 1307 01:10:17,320 --> 01:10:20,920 And who was a dear, dear friend he played. 1308 01:10:20,920 --> 01:10:25,040 And he never showed his face in public, 1309 01:10:25,040 --> 01:10:28,560 because he wrote his electronic music in isolation. 1310 01:10:28,560 --> 01:10:32,360 And that he showed up to this and participated 1311 01:10:32,360 --> 01:10:34,600 meant so much to me. 1312 01:10:34,600 --> 01:10:37,320 But just this kind of a community spirit 1313 01:10:37,320 --> 01:10:39,280 was so much fun. 1314 01:10:39,280 --> 01:10:43,680 And this is the kind of thing that we need more and more of. 1315 01:10:43,680 --> 01:10:47,640 Because it just shows that people can participate 1316 01:10:47,640 --> 01:10:53,400 in live music and be a part of something that is bigger. 1317 01:10:56,680 --> 01:10:57,800 What's the cliche? 1318 01:10:57,800 --> 01:10:59,760 More than the sum of its parts? 1319 01:10:59,760 --> 01:11:04,360 Or it adds up to more than the sum of its parts. 1320 01:11:04,360 --> 01:11:07,560 But I would love to, anyway, I don't 1321 01:11:07,560 --> 01:11:10,800 want to talk too much, because somebody else 1322 01:11:10,800 --> 01:11:14,320 might steal the idea. 1323 01:11:14,320 --> 01:11:18,200 But I do have some ideas for venues and sites, 1324 01:11:18,200 --> 01:11:20,560 where I think this could really work. 1325 01:11:20,560 --> 01:11:24,200 I would love to do it again. 1326 01:11:24,200 --> 01:11:26,240 We're doing two things. 1327 01:11:26,240 --> 01:11:29,760 I wrote a piece for 175 electronic keyboards 1328 01:11:29,760 --> 01:11:32,160 in grand piano, which is called Broken Record. 1329 01:11:32,160 --> 01:11:35,960 And it's a piece that really uses 1330 01:11:35,960 --> 01:11:39,840 the entire length of the street as kind of a soundscape. 1331 01:11:39,840 --> 01:11:44,080 Where waves of sound are going from one place to another. 1332 01:11:44,080 --> 01:11:46,920 And there are some sections where 1333 01:11:46,920 --> 01:11:50,200 people can play what they want within certain parameters. 1334 01:11:50,200 --> 01:12:14,440 Another project you are working on, which is the 1827 Bagatelle's 1335 01:12:14,440 --> 01:12:14,960 project. 1336 01:12:14,960 --> 01:12:15,440 Oh, yeah. 1337 01:12:15,440 --> 01:12:20,640 I'm composing 1,827 piano Bagatelle's for the Beethoven 1338 01:12:20,640 --> 01:12:22,760 death anniversary. 1339 01:12:22,760 --> 01:12:26,320 And each Bagatelle is dedicated to a different pianist, 1340 01:12:26,320 --> 01:12:30,480 musician, friend, or somebody involved in this. 1341 01:12:30,480 --> 01:12:33,080 You are in my database of people. 1342 01:12:33,080 --> 01:12:33,560 Me? 1343 01:12:33,560 --> 01:12:34,080 By the way. 1344 01:12:34,080 --> 01:12:34,600 Oh, yeah. 1345 01:12:34,600 --> 01:12:35,120 Of course. 1346 01:12:35,120 --> 01:12:37,760 You're one of the recent entries. 1347 01:12:37,760 --> 01:12:38,600 Oh, my goodness. 1348 01:12:38,600 --> 01:12:39,880 That's an honor. 1349 01:12:39,880 --> 01:12:42,320 So some of these have been performed. 1350 01:12:42,320 --> 01:12:46,040 I'm up to about a third way through. 1351 01:12:46,040 --> 01:12:48,840 But the thing is, some of the Bagatelle's 1352 01:12:48,840 --> 01:12:52,000 are only like five seconds, six seconds long. 1353 01:12:52,000 --> 01:12:55,640 And they're all very stylistically diverse. 1354 01:12:55,640 --> 01:12:59,760 Also, because I'm constantly sketching things 1355 01:12:59,760 --> 01:13:01,720 and tossing the sketches away. 1356 01:13:01,720 --> 01:13:05,160 But I keep everything, although they're all filed. 1357 01:13:05,160 --> 01:13:08,840 Again, it's that hoarder tendency or tendency 1358 01:13:08,840 --> 01:13:10,840 not to hoard. 1359 01:13:10,840 --> 01:13:13,480 I can go back to a lot of these pieces 1360 01:13:13,480 --> 01:13:15,600 that I forgot about from years ago, 1361 01:13:15,600 --> 01:13:17,640 like something I started, never finished. 1362 01:13:17,640 --> 01:13:20,360 And then I just say, OK, I'll do this. 1363 01:13:20,360 --> 01:13:21,720 I'll just keep it intact. 1364 01:13:21,720 --> 01:13:23,200 It's a Bagatelle. 1365 01:13:23,200 --> 01:13:28,200 So I spend several hours a day just copying the damn music 1366 01:13:28,200 --> 01:13:31,200 and then when I'm copying, I do little revisions. 1367 01:13:31,200 --> 01:13:37,160 And one can play any amount of these, as many or as few 1368 01:13:37,160 --> 01:13:41,360 as one wishes in any order. 1369 01:13:41,360 --> 01:13:44,320 There's no rules or regulations about it. 1370 01:13:44,320 --> 01:13:47,640 It's really just like a big gift to the piano community. 1371 01:13:47,640 --> 01:13:48,520 And then I retire. 1372 01:13:51,960 --> 01:13:53,000 I don't think so. 1373 01:13:53,000 --> 01:13:54,480 I don't think so. 1374 01:13:54,480 --> 01:13:58,680 Do you plan to do this like maybe some sort of, 1375 01:13:58,680 --> 01:14:02,040 I don't know, event or like putting something in there? 1376 01:14:02,040 --> 01:14:06,800 There's already talk about doing the entire cycle 1377 01:14:06,800 --> 01:14:09,080 in a couple of European cities. 1378 01:14:09,080 --> 01:14:10,960 I can't really talk about details. 1379 01:14:10,960 --> 01:14:14,080 But I don't know whether I would play the whole thing 1380 01:14:14,080 --> 01:14:15,040 or somebody else would. 1381 01:14:15,040 --> 01:14:17,200 I mean, I imagine the whole thing 1382 01:14:17,200 --> 01:14:21,360 would total maybe eight hours of music altogether. 1383 01:14:21,360 --> 01:14:23,800 It wouldn't be all that long, honestly. 1384 01:14:23,800 --> 01:14:26,680 There is one Bagatelle that's actually one hour long, 1385 01:14:26,680 --> 01:14:30,080 but that's because you have hundreds of repetitions. 1386 01:14:30,080 --> 01:14:33,600 And that was actually written for a friend of mine, 1387 01:14:33,600 --> 01:14:38,080 Nicola Orvat, a really fantastic pianist who plays 1388 01:14:38,080 --> 01:14:42,040 Satis Vexations by himself. 1389 01:14:42,040 --> 01:14:43,720 I don't know how he does that. 1390 01:14:43,720 --> 01:14:48,000 He does 24 hours or so playing straight through. 1391 01:14:48,000 --> 01:14:50,360 I don't know how he does that. 1392 01:14:50,360 --> 01:14:52,240 So that's kind of dedicated to him. 1393 01:14:52,240 --> 01:14:55,520 But we'll see what happens. 1394 01:14:55,520 --> 01:14:59,760 I mean, I'm open to suggestions. 1395 01:14:59,760 --> 01:15:01,640 I'm open to funding. 1396 01:15:01,640 --> 01:15:02,920 I'm open to. 1397 01:15:02,920 --> 01:15:06,160 Oh, and we should talk about my podcast, shouldn't we? 1398 01:15:06,160 --> 01:15:08,120 Oh, sure. 1399 01:15:08,120 --> 01:15:09,560 Let's talk about it. 1400 01:15:09,560 --> 01:15:14,880 So you just gave a birth to a podcast show. 1401 01:15:14,880 --> 01:15:15,360 Yes. 1402 01:15:15,360 --> 01:15:18,880 And I have to thank you for helping me set it up 1403 01:15:18,880 --> 01:15:23,040 and for all of your support and your ideas and feedback, 1404 01:15:23,040 --> 01:15:26,040 because I wouldn't have been able to do this without you. 1405 01:15:26,040 --> 01:15:29,880 But it's called The Piano Maven with Jed Distler. 1406 01:15:29,880 --> 01:15:32,920 And it's a very simple premise where 1407 01:15:32,920 --> 01:15:34,840 I talk about piano recordings. 1408 01:15:34,840 --> 01:15:37,400 There isn't any music, because you 1409 01:15:37,400 --> 01:15:40,240 have to deal with getting rights if you have 1410 01:15:40,240 --> 01:15:41,840 music in a podcast format. 1411 01:15:41,840 --> 01:15:44,840 Whereas on my radio show with webcasts, 1412 01:15:44,840 --> 01:15:46,600 you can't download those, although I'm 1413 01:15:46,600 --> 01:15:49,720 sure people can find ways to do that illegally. 1414 01:15:49,720 --> 01:15:53,040 But the radio is a very different thing. 1415 01:15:53,040 --> 01:15:54,800 But what I do is I discuss recordings. 1416 01:15:54,800 --> 01:15:59,480 However, I provide links to how you can access the recordings, 1417 01:15:59,480 --> 01:16:04,520 purchase them, or hear them in authorized YouTube site. 1418 01:16:04,520 --> 01:16:08,040 In fact, I've been getting a lot of feedback 1419 01:16:08,040 --> 01:16:12,080 from listeners who've discovered the podcast through YouTube. 1420 01:16:12,080 --> 01:16:13,800 And they send comments. 1421 01:16:13,800 --> 01:16:17,720 And they're very supportive and interesting. 1422 01:16:17,720 --> 01:16:21,480 And what's been wonderful is that my podcast has opened up 1423 01:16:21,480 --> 01:16:24,640 a lot of dialogues about recordings and repertoire. 1424 01:16:24,640 --> 01:16:26,680 And I'll talk about new releases, 1425 01:16:26,680 --> 01:16:28,560 or I'll talk about unusual things. 1426 01:16:28,560 --> 01:16:30,600 It's kind of like between the keys in the sense 1427 01:16:30,600 --> 01:16:33,240 that I'm trying to give a lot of variety, 1428 01:16:33,240 --> 01:16:37,520 and not just to have only new releases or only dead pianists. 1429 01:16:37,520 --> 01:16:38,720 I try to mix it up. 1430 01:16:38,720 --> 01:16:41,920 I also have episodes about jazz pianists 1431 01:16:41,920 --> 01:16:45,560 that will be coming up, and not your usual suspects 1432 01:16:45,560 --> 01:16:46,800 among jazz pianists. 1433 01:16:46,800 --> 01:16:49,160 There'll be some surprises. 1434 01:16:49,160 --> 01:16:52,280 Pianists who you probably haven't even thought about. 1435 01:16:52,280 --> 01:16:55,680 And also, the listeners who are writing in 1436 01:16:55,680 --> 01:16:59,280 or drawing my attention to pianists who I didn't even 1437 01:16:59,280 --> 01:17:01,160 know about. 1438 01:17:01,160 --> 01:17:07,160 So it's this back and forth that I think is just so wonderful. 1439 01:17:07,160 --> 01:17:10,920 And it just shows what a community 1440 01:17:10,920 --> 01:17:14,080 we have in the piano world internationally, 1441 01:17:14,080 --> 01:17:18,680 and how we have to keep the community cultivated, 1442 01:17:18,680 --> 01:17:20,880 and alive, and nurtured. 1443 01:17:20,880 --> 01:17:22,640 It's so important. 1444 01:17:22,640 --> 01:17:25,520 And you've been doing this to such a wonderful extent 1445 01:17:25,520 --> 01:17:26,720 with the piano pod. 1446 01:17:26,720 --> 01:17:30,480 And I hope that I've been doing this with my work, too. 1447 01:17:30,480 --> 01:17:32,040 Oh, you are my inspiration. 1448 01:17:32,040 --> 01:17:35,600 But thank you so much for such encouraging words. 1449 01:17:35,600 --> 01:17:37,640 It means so much. 1450 01:17:37,640 --> 01:17:43,240 But this is the reason why we do radio show to podcasts, 1451 01:17:43,240 --> 01:17:45,520 because we love piano so much. 1452 01:17:45,520 --> 01:17:49,680 And it's not this compositions by the usual suspects, 1453 01:17:49,680 --> 01:17:52,720 but it's just so much more. 1454 01:17:52,720 --> 01:17:54,760 And I think the important thing is, 1455 01:17:54,760 --> 01:17:58,560 another thing I should have said about my radio show before is, 1456 01:17:58,560 --> 01:18:00,120 and when we talk about community, 1457 01:18:00,120 --> 01:18:01,560 we're not just talking about people 1458 01:18:01,560 --> 01:18:05,600 who've been a part of the community for a long time, 1459 01:18:05,600 --> 01:18:08,640 because we don't want to always preach to the choir. 1460 01:18:08,640 --> 01:18:12,040 We want to be inviting new people. 1461 01:18:12,040 --> 01:18:14,320 There are always going to be people tuning 1462 01:18:14,320 --> 01:18:18,640 into your podcast, my podcast, and my radio show, 1463 01:18:18,640 --> 01:18:22,680 who may be just discovering a Beethoven piece, 1464 01:18:22,680 --> 01:18:26,040 or learning about the piano for the first time. 1465 01:18:26,040 --> 01:18:29,520 And you have to present something 1466 01:18:29,520 --> 01:18:33,960 in a way that will make it attractive for them 1467 01:18:33,960 --> 01:18:36,920 to come back for more. 1468 01:18:36,920 --> 01:18:42,880 One thing that I never liked about reading sports columnists 1469 01:18:42,880 --> 01:18:47,440 is that they always presume a kind of prior knowledge 1470 01:18:47,440 --> 01:18:48,880 among readers. 1471 01:18:48,880 --> 01:18:53,320 And they use jargon that I never understand. 1472 01:18:53,320 --> 01:18:55,560 And I'm often turned off by that, 1473 01:18:55,560 --> 01:18:57,680 because they assume you know so much. 1474 01:18:57,680 --> 01:19:00,920 And there's all this insider information 1475 01:19:00,920 --> 01:19:03,160 that kind of alienates me. 1476 01:19:03,160 --> 01:19:07,240 I feel the same way often about reading opera critics, 1477 01:19:07,240 --> 01:19:10,720 because they're talking a lot in technical terms 1478 01:19:10,720 --> 01:19:16,440 or in very arcane language that I think would turn off 1479 01:19:16,440 --> 01:19:21,520 people who just want to listen to opera and enjoy the singers. 1480 01:19:21,520 --> 01:19:24,240 And I know that when I write record reviews, 1481 01:19:24,240 --> 01:19:26,560 sometimes I can get a little technical, 1482 01:19:26,560 --> 01:19:30,200 or I can get involved in this kind of jargon. 1483 01:19:30,200 --> 01:19:31,720 But I try not to do that. 1484 01:19:31,720 --> 01:19:35,880 And I try not to do this when I'm putting a radio show 1485 01:19:35,880 --> 01:19:36,360 together. 1486 01:19:36,360 --> 01:19:40,080 Even sometimes it's unavoidable. 1487 01:19:40,080 --> 01:19:45,920 But you want to invite somebody who may not know about this 1488 01:19:45,920 --> 01:19:48,560 and to give them information, but make 1489 01:19:48,560 --> 01:19:50,920 them want to learn more. 1490 01:19:50,920 --> 01:19:55,400 And then they can discover all this on their own. 1491 01:19:55,400 --> 01:19:56,160 Yeah, yeah, yeah. 1492 01:19:56,160 --> 01:19:59,600 But where does that big heart come from? 1493 01:19:59,600 --> 01:20:01,280 My parents. 1494 01:20:01,280 --> 01:20:04,680 I had very loving, supportive parents. 1495 01:20:04,680 --> 01:20:06,400 And I had three younger brothers. 1496 01:20:06,400 --> 01:20:11,440 And we were raised to be kind and to be civil. 1497 01:20:11,440 --> 01:20:14,280 We didn't always have to like one another 1498 01:20:14,280 --> 01:20:16,520 all the time in the house. 1499 01:20:16,520 --> 01:20:21,160 But respect and civility were always important. 1500 01:20:21,160 --> 01:20:25,520 And there was always a sense of support and generosity 1501 01:20:25,520 --> 01:20:27,920 from my parents, even if we didn't always 1502 01:20:27,920 --> 01:20:30,120 share the same loves. 1503 01:20:30,120 --> 01:20:32,880 My father was not artistic at all. 1504 01:20:32,880 --> 01:20:34,320 He was really into sports. 1505 01:20:34,320 --> 01:20:36,440 I wasn't into sports. 1506 01:20:36,440 --> 01:20:40,200 But his sense of right and wrong, 1507 01:20:40,200 --> 01:20:43,920 his feeling of being protective of those he loved, 1508 01:20:43,920 --> 01:20:48,280 and his authenticity, and how he related so naturally 1509 01:20:48,280 --> 01:20:52,320 with people is something that I've tried to emulate. 1510 01:20:52,320 --> 01:20:54,720 I don't know if I do it successfully. 1511 01:20:54,720 --> 01:20:58,440 But my mother was a teacher and a poet 1512 01:20:58,440 --> 01:21:02,440 and somebody who was just very open and curious about all 1513 01:21:02,440 --> 01:21:03,960 of the arts. 1514 01:21:03,960 --> 01:21:09,520 And living in a house with an artist who had 1515 01:21:09,520 --> 01:21:11,240 all kinds of things going on. 1516 01:21:11,240 --> 01:21:14,840 And when I was a kid, she bought records for me all the time. 1517 01:21:14,840 --> 01:21:18,520 She bought secondhand records of all styles. 1518 01:21:18,520 --> 01:21:20,960 And it didn't really matter what it was. 1519 01:21:20,960 --> 01:21:27,200 And just being non-judgmental, but also setting limits, 1520 01:21:27,200 --> 01:21:27,880 of course. 1521 01:21:27,880 --> 01:21:35,880 But I think it's their kindness and their ethical blueprint. 1522 01:21:35,880 --> 01:21:40,640 I think that this is, and having mentors 1523 01:21:40,640 --> 01:21:43,640 who are generous, and also knowing how not to be. 1524 01:21:43,640 --> 01:21:45,680 Because there's some teachers I had 1525 01:21:45,680 --> 01:21:51,280 who were just very small minded and not very generous. 1526 01:21:51,280 --> 01:21:55,280 So I knew who not to be like. 1527 01:21:55,280 --> 01:22:00,080 So I really think it was my upbringing, honestly. 1528 01:22:00,080 --> 01:22:03,600 So I'm just very lucky. 1529 01:22:03,600 --> 01:22:08,200 Not everyone is lucky to have close family ties. 1530 01:22:08,200 --> 01:22:12,120 I was just in Colorado recently because one 1531 01:22:12,120 --> 01:22:16,440 of my younger brother's daughter had a wedding. 1532 01:22:16,440 --> 01:22:19,480 It was just a wonderful occasion to be with my brothers 1533 01:22:19,480 --> 01:22:22,920 and their kids who are all grown. 1534 01:22:22,920 --> 01:22:27,680 And they all have that very sweet and generous nature. 1535 01:22:27,680 --> 01:22:32,600 They're all doing interesting work. 1536 01:22:32,600 --> 01:22:34,200 There are no musicians among them, 1537 01:22:34,200 --> 01:22:37,120 although I do have a nephew who studied French horn 1538 01:22:37,120 --> 01:22:38,960 very seriously. 1539 01:22:38,960 --> 01:22:41,000 And he's a sports fanatic. 1540 01:22:41,000 --> 01:22:43,920 And he works in broadcasting. 1541 01:22:43,920 --> 01:22:45,520 And he just loves it. 1542 01:22:45,520 --> 01:22:48,280 But we're going to do a Between the Keys episode together 1543 01:22:48,280 --> 01:22:50,520 where we talk about the introduction of the Brahms 1544 01:22:50,520 --> 01:22:53,760 Second Concerto, because there's that horn solo. 1545 01:22:53,760 --> 01:22:56,040 So he's going to comment on the horn solos 1546 01:22:56,040 --> 01:22:57,520 without knowing who's playing. 1547 01:22:57,520 --> 01:23:00,120 And then I'm going to comment on the pianist 1548 01:23:00,120 --> 01:23:01,320 without knowing who's playing. 1549 01:23:01,320 --> 01:23:03,280 We're going to see what we come up with. 1550 01:23:03,280 --> 01:23:04,840 Oh, how lovely. 1551 01:23:04,840 --> 01:23:07,600 It would be so much fun to collaborate with him on this. 1552 01:23:07,600 --> 01:23:13,000 And as I get older, I feel that friends and family are really 1553 01:23:13,000 --> 01:23:14,840 the most important thing. 1554 01:23:14,840 --> 01:23:19,240 And when I'm with my wife's friends in Italy, 1555 01:23:19,240 --> 01:23:22,480 because she's from Milan and we spent a long time, 1556 01:23:22,480 --> 01:23:25,800 there is this loyalty among friends 1557 01:23:25,800 --> 01:23:28,600 that you don't always find in the United States. 1558 01:23:28,600 --> 01:23:31,280 I think in New York City, even though it's such a big city 1559 01:23:31,280 --> 01:23:34,400 and there's so many people, it can often 1560 01:23:34,400 --> 01:23:39,200 seem so isolated because we're all so obsessed by our work 1561 01:23:39,200 --> 01:23:42,920 and we're all alone in our studios working. 1562 01:23:42,920 --> 01:23:47,720 And you don't always have that sense of community 1563 01:23:47,720 --> 01:23:48,800 that you can have. 1564 01:23:48,800 --> 01:23:51,720 I mean, I will see friends and colleagues at concerts. 1565 01:23:51,720 --> 01:23:55,440 But it's not that we always go out of our way 1566 01:23:55,440 --> 01:23:59,440 to make time to go have coffee or have dinner. 1567 01:23:59,440 --> 01:24:01,240 You have to really make the effort to do that. 1568 01:24:01,240 --> 01:24:05,360 Whereas when I'm in Milan or even when I'm in the Bay Area, 1569 01:24:05,360 --> 01:24:08,360 it's a little different because my pianist friends are always 1570 01:24:08,360 --> 01:24:12,360 going to one another's concerts and listening to run-throughs 1571 01:24:12,360 --> 01:24:15,800 and helping each other out. 1572 01:24:15,800 --> 01:24:18,840 And it's something that's really quite wonderful. 1573 01:24:18,840 --> 01:24:21,120 It's very Italian. 1574 01:24:21,120 --> 01:24:26,760 And the best example of this is I remember, 1575 01:24:26,760 --> 01:24:29,680 oh, I think it was a couple of years ago, we were in Milan. 1576 01:24:29,680 --> 01:24:34,440 And my wife was staying a few more days beyond me. 1577 01:24:34,440 --> 01:24:36,640 I had to leave a little earlier. 1578 01:24:36,640 --> 01:24:41,080 So these friends of ours drive all the way across the city. 1579 01:24:41,080 --> 01:24:44,440 The morning I'm going to leave, I have an afternoon flight. 1580 01:24:44,440 --> 01:24:47,240 They drive over in the morning, just have coffee with us, 1581 01:24:47,240 --> 01:24:49,400 just to say hi and goodbye. 1582 01:24:49,400 --> 01:24:52,080 Does that ever happen in New York City? 1583 01:24:52,080 --> 01:24:53,800 I don't think so. 1584 01:24:53,800 --> 01:24:54,680 Rarely. 1585 01:24:54,680 --> 01:24:58,560 I mean, this will happen in a small town somewhere. 1586 01:24:58,560 --> 01:25:01,280 And these are people who I'm very fond with. 1587 01:25:01,280 --> 01:25:05,880 But these are old friends of Mima's, of my wife's. 1588 01:25:05,880 --> 01:25:08,920 And I've come to know them. 1589 01:25:08,920 --> 01:25:10,000 And I'm very fond of them. 1590 01:25:10,000 --> 01:25:12,800 But they're busy people. 1591 01:25:12,800 --> 01:25:14,560 They don't have to do this. 1592 01:25:14,560 --> 01:25:18,000 But this is what happens all the time. 1593 01:25:18,000 --> 01:25:23,600 And this is what I value really more than anything. 1594 01:25:23,600 --> 01:25:27,600 I think friends and family are really, 1595 01:25:27,600 --> 01:25:29,560 that's the top priority for me. 1596 01:25:29,560 --> 01:25:31,760 I can always make music. 1597 01:25:31,760 --> 01:25:35,040 And I can always do my musical projects. 1598 01:25:35,040 --> 01:25:39,240 But you can't get another family. 1599 01:25:39,240 --> 01:25:42,680 Jed, you mentioned in the guest form you filled out for me 1600 01:25:42,680 --> 01:25:46,440 that you've always pursued your dreams and obsessions 1601 01:25:46,440 --> 01:25:51,240 to their final goal, seeking out like-minded individuals 1602 01:25:51,240 --> 01:25:52,560 for support and feedback. 1603 01:25:52,560 --> 01:25:55,000 We mentioned about community and so on today. 1604 01:25:55,000 --> 01:25:59,720 So in the often solitary pursuit of artistic excellence, 1605 01:25:59,720 --> 01:26:02,840 especially being a pianist and composer as well, 1606 01:26:02,840 --> 01:26:05,400 how do you balance the drive for personal achievement 1607 01:26:05,400 --> 01:26:07,280 with the need to create community 1608 01:26:07,280 --> 01:26:09,480 and build steadfast relationships? 1609 01:26:09,480 --> 01:26:11,640 Maybe you answered that question. 1610 01:26:11,640 --> 01:26:16,040 You already talked about family and friends. 1611 01:26:16,040 --> 01:26:20,600 I think that the pursuit of artistic excellence 1612 01:26:20,600 --> 01:26:24,280 and the pursuit of community can be one in the same. 1613 01:26:24,280 --> 01:26:29,120 I think that these work within one another, 1614 01:26:29,120 --> 01:26:31,160 they feed in and out of each other. 1615 01:26:31,160 --> 01:26:33,440 It's a very natural kind of thing 1616 01:26:33,440 --> 01:26:37,400 because so much of what is done artistically 1617 01:26:37,400 --> 01:26:43,440 is community oriented in terms of having a team working 1618 01:26:43,440 --> 01:26:44,680 together. 1619 01:26:44,680 --> 01:26:47,640 I mean, otherwise you wouldn't have orchestras. 1620 01:26:47,640 --> 01:26:50,800 And in writing pieces for many people, 1621 01:26:50,800 --> 01:26:52,680 we're bringing a lot of people together 1622 01:26:52,680 --> 01:26:56,840 to perform something. 1623 01:26:56,840 --> 01:26:59,520 I think it's a very organic kind of thing. 1624 01:26:59,520 --> 01:27:04,440 If you think about what Bach did in composing his Passions 1625 01:27:04,440 --> 01:27:06,960 and his Cantatas, these were pieces 1626 01:27:06,960 --> 01:27:09,720 that were written not just for performers, 1627 01:27:09,720 --> 01:27:12,480 but for the members of the congregation 1628 01:27:12,480 --> 01:27:15,640 because they would sing the chorales. 1629 01:27:15,640 --> 01:27:17,680 They were very much a part of this. 1630 01:27:17,680 --> 01:27:24,000 So this is something that is not a new idea. 1631 01:27:24,000 --> 01:27:27,680 And the last question would be, what 1632 01:27:27,680 --> 01:27:31,040 is your thought on our gift or maybe duty 1633 01:27:31,040 --> 01:27:34,240 as classical musicians to society? 1634 01:27:34,240 --> 01:27:37,560 Oh, that's a tough question. 1635 01:27:37,560 --> 01:27:40,080 We have to remember that in classical music, 1636 01:27:40,080 --> 01:27:43,040 we are in a service industry. 1637 01:27:43,040 --> 01:27:45,320 We are serving the composers. 1638 01:27:45,320 --> 01:27:49,240 We are bringing the music to the public. 1639 01:27:49,240 --> 01:27:52,280 And we do this through performing, 1640 01:27:52,280 --> 01:27:55,760 through hosting radio shows, through presenting, 1641 01:27:55,760 --> 01:27:58,880 through curating, through artistic directing. 1642 01:27:58,880 --> 01:28:01,640 However we do it, the important thing 1643 01:28:01,640 --> 01:28:04,960 is just getting the music to the people 1644 01:28:04,960 --> 01:28:08,320 and sharing it with them, not reaching it to them, 1645 01:28:08,320 --> 01:28:12,560 but sharing it and just giving people an opportunity 1646 01:28:12,560 --> 01:28:16,000 to hear this music and to get to know it 1647 01:28:16,000 --> 01:28:21,760 and to create contexts in which they can get to know it better 1648 01:28:21,760 --> 01:28:25,400 should they want through discussions or lectures 1649 01:28:25,400 --> 01:28:30,080 or books or reviews or whatever. 1650 01:28:30,080 --> 01:28:31,880 Oh, totally. 1651 01:28:31,880 --> 01:28:32,560 Beautiful. 1652 01:28:32,560 --> 01:28:34,720 Thank you beautifully said. 1653 01:28:34,720 --> 01:28:38,520 So for our listeners, please check out 1654 01:28:38,520 --> 01:28:44,120 Jed's website for all the work he has done in the past, 1655 01:28:44,120 --> 01:28:48,800 but also maybe to keep you posted on his new project. 1656 01:28:48,800 --> 01:28:55,880 So his website is jettlisler.com, J-E-D-D-I-S-T-L-E-R.com. 1657 01:28:55,880 --> 01:28:57,000 Correct? 1658 01:28:57,000 --> 01:28:58,600 Yeah, that's it. 1659 01:28:58,600 --> 01:29:04,720 And then be sure to check out his radio show on WWFM.org 1660 01:29:04,720 --> 01:29:09,400 Between the Keys and his newly launched podcast, 1661 01:29:09,400 --> 01:29:12,720 The Piano Maven by Jed Disler. 1662 01:29:12,720 --> 01:29:17,920 And I also should mention that I am the new artistic director 1663 01:29:17,920 --> 01:29:22,080 of the Salon Concerts at Clavier House, which 1664 01:29:22,080 --> 01:29:27,160 is a weekly recital series that takes place for the most part 1665 01:29:27,160 --> 01:29:30,080 on Sunday afternoons at 2 o'clock. 1666 01:29:30,080 --> 01:29:32,920 And these concerts are live streamed, 1667 01:29:32,920 --> 01:29:35,240 but you can attend in person. 1668 01:29:35,240 --> 01:29:39,200 Concerts are free, but there's a suggested donation. 1669 01:29:39,200 --> 01:29:43,280 And the series presents a very broad range 1670 01:29:43,280 --> 01:29:47,240 of emerging and established pianists alike. 1671 01:29:47,240 --> 01:29:51,040 And this series was founded two years ago 1672 01:29:51,040 --> 01:29:56,240 by Joseph Patric, who was a fantastic recording engineer 1673 01:29:56,240 --> 01:29:58,680 and a mentor to pianists and somebody 1674 01:29:58,680 --> 01:30:02,440 who had an extraordinary presence in the piano world. 1675 01:30:02,440 --> 01:30:04,400 And he was a very close friend of mine, 1676 01:30:04,400 --> 01:30:08,320 and we collaborated on many projects together. 1677 01:30:08,320 --> 01:30:13,120 And after his death, I was brought in to keep the series 1678 01:30:13,120 --> 01:30:20,240 going, and we are continuing it into this season. 1679 01:30:20,240 --> 01:30:22,840 So you can find this online. 1680 01:30:22,840 --> 01:30:29,160 And all the concerts are booked through June 2025. 1681 01:30:29,160 --> 01:30:32,120 And I'm going to be performing on a bunch of these, which 1682 01:30:32,120 --> 01:30:33,880 will be a lot of fun. 1683 01:30:33,880 --> 01:30:37,800 So you can go to event.clavierhouse.com 1684 01:30:37,800 --> 01:30:39,400 to purchase tickets. 1685 01:30:39,400 --> 01:30:42,560 No, no, you don't have to purchase tickets, but get a more 1686 01:30:42,560 --> 01:30:43,840 important one. 1687 01:30:43,840 --> 01:30:46,040 Well, you should donate. 1688 01:30:46,040 --> 01:30:48,200 You have a moral obligation to donate, 1689 01:30:48,200 --> 01:30:51,040 even though you don't have to. 1690 01:30:51,040 --> 01:30:53,520 But you should. 1691 01:30:53,520 --> 01:30:54,040 Absolutely. 1692 01:30:54,040 --> 01:30:56,240 You should have, would have, supposed to. 1693 01:30:56,240 --> 01:30:57,240 Yeah? 1694 01:30:57,240 --> 01:30:59,280 Yes, that's right. 1695 01:30:59,280 --> 01:31:03,240 Well, it has been a wonderful, inspiring conversation. 1696 01:31:03,240 --> 01:31:05,080 It was a master class. 1697 01:31:05,080 --> 01:31:05,760 Thank you. 1698 01:31:05,760 --> 01:31:08,440 So thank you. 1699 01:31:08,440 --> 01:31:09,120 Thank you. 1700 01:31:09,120 --> 01:31:11,760 But before I let you go, we have one more thing to do. 1701 01:31:11,760 --> 01:31:12,280 It's called. 1702 01:31:12,280 --> 01:31:13,400 One more thing to do. 1703 01:31:13,400 --> 01:31:13,920 OK. 1704 01:31:13,920 --> 01:31:15,480 Of course, rapid fire questions. 1705 01:31:15,480 --> 01:31:17,000 And this is the part of the show where 1706 01:31:17,000 --> 01:31:19,640 I get to ask fun questions to each guest. 1707 01:31:19,640 --> 01:31:20,640 Here's a little twist. 1708 01:31:20,640 --> 01:31:22,680 As silly as these questions may sound, 1709 01:31:22,680 --> 01:31:27,120 your answers may reveal who you truly are, so ready or not. 1710 01:31:27,120 --> 01:31:31,280 Please answer each question with the shortest response 1711 01:31:31,280 --> 01:31:32,160 as possible. 1712 01:31:32,160 --> 01:31:32,680 And no. 1713 01:31:32,680 --> 01:31:35,200 As quickly as possible? 1714 01:31:35,200 --> 01:31:37,240 Short, as short as possible. 1715 01:31:37,240 --> 01:31:40,120 The quick, you can take your time to think a little bit. 1716 01:31:40,120 --> 01:31:42,080 But no explanation. 1717 01:31:42,080 --> 01:31:44,880 Like three or four words. 1718 01:31:44,880 --> 01:31:45,680 Sure. 1719 01:31:45,680 --> 01:31:46,720 Yeah, yeah. 1720 01:31:46,720 --> 01:31:47,520 One word. 1721 01:31:47,520 --> 01:31:48,800 Yeah, it depends on the question. 1722 01:31:48,800 --> 01:31:50,440 But question one. 1723 01:31:50,440 --> 01:31:51,680 Question number one. 1724 01:31:51,680 --> 01:31:54,240 What is your comfort food? 1725 01:31:54,240 --> 01:31:58,200 My homemade meatballs from chicken. 1726 01:31:58,200 --> 01:32:01,400 How do you like your coffee in the morning? 1727 01:32:01,400 --> 01:32:03,320 Black, strong. 1728 01:32:03,320 --> 01:32:04,920 Cats or dogs? 1729 01:32:04,920 --> 01:32:06,000 Cats. 1730 01:32:06,000 --> 01:32:08,080 Yes, I met one of your cats. 1731 01:32:08,080 --> 01:32:09,920 You met Shubi. 1732 01:32:09,920 --> 01:32:11,480 Pablo, I don't think you met. 1733 01:32:11,480 --> 01:32:12,960 But you met Shubi. 1734 01:32:12,960 --> 01:32:14,000 So sweet. 1735 01:32:14,000 --> 01:32:17,720 And next question is sunrise or sunset? 1736 01:32:17,720 --> 01:32:19,520 Sunrise. 1737 01:32:19,520 --> 01:32:21,600 Summer or winter? 1738 01:32:21,600 --> 01:32:22,480 It's hard to say. 1739 01:32:22,480 --> 01:32:24,320 It depends on which country. 1740 01:32:24,320 --> 01:32:25,840 I would say summer. 1741 01:32:25,840 --> 01:32:28,280 Next question is a little bit more difficult. 1742 01:32:28,280 --> 01:32:31,240 What skill have you always wanted to learn 1743 01:32:31,240 --> 01:32:33,240 but haven't had a chance to? 1744 01:32:33,240 --> 01:32:36,040 Diving. 1745 01:32:36,040 --> 01:32:39,680 What is your word or words to live by? 1746 01:32:39,680 --> 01:32:41,800 Be yourself. 1747 01:32:41,800 --> 01:32:42,960 Good one. 1748 01:32:42,960 --> 01:32:44,640 What is the most important quality 1749 01:32:44,640 --> 01:32:46,960 you look for in other people? 1750 01:32:46,960 --> 01:32:48,880 Authenticity and kindness. 1751 01:32:48,880 --> 01:32:53,720 Name three people who inspire you, living or dead. 1752 01:32:53,720 --> 01:32:56,720 My wife, Maria Scarpini. 1753 01:32:56,720 --> 01:32:58,800 Oh, God, this is so hard. 1754 01:32:58,800 --> 01:33:01,280 So many people inspire me. 1755 01:33:01,280 --> 01:33:02,760 I don't know how to answer this, 1756 01:33:02,760 --> 01:33:05,600 but certainly my wife would come first. 1757 01:33:05,600 --> 01:33:06,760 That's good enough. 1758 01:33:06,760 --> 01:33:07,600 Thank you. 1759 01:33:07,600 --> 01:33:08,960 And then two more. 1760 01:33:08,960 --> 01:33:12,880 Name one title in your current playlist. 1761 01:33:12,880 --> 01:33:14,840 I'm so curious to know this. 1762 01:33:14,840 --> 01:33:18,120 Oh, Little Brother Montgomery's album 1763 01:33:18,120 --> 01:33:21,000 called Pharaoh Street Jive. 1764 01:33:21,000 --> 01:33:24,240 He was a blues pianist based in Chicago, 1765 01:33:24,240 --> 01:33:28,120 and this is a 1968 album on Folkways. 1766 01:33:28,120 --> 01:33:33,400 He's just a wonderful blues boogie woogie player and singer 1767 01:33:33,400 --> 01:33:36,120 and just such inviting music. 1768 01:33:36,120 --> 01:33:37,280 Lovely stuff. 1769 01:33:37,280 --> 01:33:38,800 Oh, I need to listen to that. 1770 01:33:38,800 --> 01:33:40,280 Well, sounds lovely. 1771 01:33:40,280 --> 01:33:41,520 The last question. 1772 01:33:41,520 --> 01:33:43,200 Fill in the blank, please. 1773 01:33:43,200 --> 01:33:45,760 Music is blank. 1774 01:33:45,760 --> 01:33:47,280 Fun? 1775 01:33:47,280 --> 01:33:49,720 Yay. 1776 01:33:49,720 --> 01:33:50,480 Why not? 1777 01:33:50,480 --> 01:33:51,680 Why not? 1778 01:33:51,680 --> 01:33:52,680 Absolutely. 1779 01:33:52,680 --> 01:33:54,680 Because I just want to have fun, 1780 01:33:54,680 --> 01:33:57,120 and I have fun doing everything that I'm doing. 1781 01:33:57,120 --> 01:33:58,040 That's great. 1782 01:33:58,040 --> 01:33:59,080 Wonderful answer. 1783 01:34:01,400 --> 01:34:04,200 So this concludes this episode of The Pianopod. 1784 01:34:04,200 --> 01:34:06,880 Thank you, Jed, for joining my show today 1785 01:34:06,880 --> 01:34:09,960 and sharing your story, insights, and expertise. 1786 01:34:09,960 --> 01:34:11,360 It was my pleasure. 1787 01:34:11,360 --> 01:34:14,760 I just enjoyed our time together so much. 1788 01:34:14,760 --> 01:34:15,120 Thank you. 1789 01:34:15,120 --> 01:34:15,520 Thank you. 1790 01:34:15,520 --> 01:34:16,840 Thank you. 1791 01:34:16,840 --> 01:34:17,840 Thank you so much. 1792 01:34:17,840 --> 01:34:20,440 You can learn more about Jed and his amazing work 1793 01:34:20,440 --> 01:34:22,960 through his website at jettlister.com, 1794 01:34:22,960 --> 01:34:25,560 and you can listen to his new podcast show, Piano, 1795 01:34:25,560 --> 01:34:29,240 The Pianomave, wherever you listen to your podcasts. 1796 01:34:29,240 --> 01:34:31,640 All the links are listed in the show notes. 1797 01:34:31,640 --> 01:34:34,040 And thank you to my wonderful audience and fans 1798 01:34:34,040 --> 01:34:35,040 for tuning in today. 1799 01:34:35,040 --> 01:34:38,520 If you enjoyed today's episode, please rate and review it 1800 01:34:38,520 --> 01:34:40,680 on your favorite podcasting platform. 1801 01:34:40,680 --> 01:34:42,320 Remember to hit the thumbs up button 1802 01:34:42,320 --> 01:34:45,440 and subscribe to my YouTube channel. 1803 01:34:45,440 --> 01:34:49,000 Follow The Pianopod on, that's right, social media 1804 01:34:49,000 --> 01:34:53,040 to get the latest piano news via Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, 1805 01:34:53,040 --> 01:34:55,280 and then LinkedIn. 1806 01:34:55,280 --> 01:34:57,440 I will see you for the next episode of The Pianopod. 1807 01:34:57,440 --> 01:34:59,400 Thank you, Jed, and thank you, everybody. 1808 01:34:59,400 --> 01:34:59,900 Bye. 1809 01:34:59,900 --> 01:35:00,400 Bye. 1810 01:35:00,400 --> 01:35:17,080 Thanks so much.