I listen to Radio 3 quite a lot. About a year ago I heard a piano piece that struck me as something really very special. Lyrical perfection maybe? It turned out to be Schubert's "Impromptu No 3 in Gb". I checked it out on YouTube - several renditions incl one by Alfred Brendel.
Brendel, now in his 80s I think, just completed his final concert tour. James Birkett went to one of them. He must be one of the greatest pianists of the 20th Century. Lo and behold I switched channels on TV a couple of nights back and discovered they were broadcasting Brendel from Snapes Malting.
What a player! And what did he finish the concert with? You've guessed it - The "Impromptu in Gb". Maybe it's a piece of art up there at the pinnacle of mankind's creativity? Also I was reminiscing (do that a lot these days) about my early interest in jazz which then was mostly piano - I liked Cuddly Dudley (Moore). On Youtube is his parody on a Beethoven Sonata. I also remember his party piece where he played a sonata but at the gorgeous final cadence, at the last second, he would insert a b7 needing resolution. It went on and on - he couldnt bring it to a close. If Dud hadn't been such a remarkable all rounder where would he have ended up if he had just concentrated on piano? (Lance says "Struggling to pay his mortgage!")
Roly.
Just listened to that piece Roly, just beautiful, the things I learn from this blog...thank you.
ReplyDeleteLiz
Hopefully he would have toured a lot more, ended up in my town and someone would have "made" me go see him (in case this was before I liked him around 1990). Would have been amazing. Well, if he didn't do movies, I wouldn't have known who he was and become a fan, so that wouldn't work. Okay, he'd play mostly piano but do a movie or two here and there. That would be ideal. :-)
ReplyDeleteAnd of course you wouldn't have people saying, "He played the piano?"
Quote from Dudley:
ReplyDelete"I can't imagine not having music in my life, playing for myself or for other people. If I was asked, 'Which would you give up,' I'd have to say acting," he said in an interview with The Associated Press in 1988.
I often wonder how well known it actually was that Dudley Moore was such a brilliant pianoman? Certainly, known in UK but in the States? I wonder...
ReplyDeleteI knew, but then again, I'm a hardcore fan. :-) I keep meaning to show my mom the Audience With Dudley Moore DVD so she can see how cool he was in that department. Most people I talk to online don't even know who he is let alone what he did, though.
ReplyDeleteLisa, I visited your site - I guess it's yours - "Forever Moore"? Impressed. Recommended for all Cud Dud fans.
ReplyDeleteThe nearest I ever got to him was when I worked in a music store and I sold a pair of drumsticks to his then drummer, Chris Karan!
Hey Lance! Yep, that's my website. Thanks for checking it out!
ReplyDeleteHm, so you touched a pair of drumsticks that basically hung out around Dudley" ;-D I should be glad I never go to meet him. As shy as I am, I would have just passed out. Then I'd wake up, he'd be gone and all I'd have is someone saying how I fell on him and I missed the whole thing, hahaha!
I do own a pair boots he wore in Like Father Like Son, though. Guess that's something. (And no I don't put them on and prance around the room looking at myself in the mirror. They're too small for me. Bwuahaha!)