The unreportable end of Christopher Falzone

The unreportable end of Christopher Falzone

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norman lebrecht

October 24, 2014

Four months ago, we were asked by two musicians to publish the case of a gifted young pianist who was being hospitalised against his will. The young man was supported by the warm-hearted Martha Argerich, among others. His parents and his wife appeared to be on opposing sides. Despite appeals from several musicians, the court appointed a guardian to act on the young man’s behalf.

In matters of an individual’s health, whether physical or mental, media coverage is invariably harmful. When a court order has been issued, there are further hazards and constraints. For these and other reasons, we decided against reporting the case.

This Tuesday (we are told by one of his friends), Christopher Falzone jumped from the tenth floor of a hospital in Geneva. He was 29.

 

Comments

  • Papageno says:

    As Peter Ustinov said near the end of Agatha Christie’s Death on the Nile, “Quelle tragédie.”

    I absolutely thought when I saw him in L.A. almost a decade ago that Christopher would be giving international recitals, touring, recording, and playing with some of the best orchestras in the world by now. To be sure, I figured I’d see him again — except with the Los Angeles Philharmonic instead of the Young Musician’s Foundation Orchestra. I’m saddened that I will never get to hear Mr. Falzone play live again, or that he was so despondent that he committed suicide. But I will remember his Rachmaninoff for a very long time.

  • Polly van der Linde says:

    Thank you for doing the honorable thing of not reporting anything further. There are those who were very close to Christopher who deserve to not have to go through more layers of pain reading the tensions that you mention, above. May those who are curious instead listen to the recordings available online and hear the beauty of his playing in memory of a great pianist.

  • Andrew Patner says:

    Well said by Norman, “Papageno,” and Polly. May Chris rest in peace.

  • Leslie Howard says:

    He was a very nice man, and an extremely good player and transcriber. His parents’ treatment of him was, to put it mildly, bizarre, and they have much to answer for. Poor dear chap.

    • a friend of Christopher's says:

      To Leslie and others who have been “informed” ℅ Go Fund Me page and Christopher’s fan club web page – both written by Christopher’s wife, Lily:

      Unfortunately, the circumstances leading to Christopher’s death are very complicated and have been deliberately misrepresented by these websites

      I am writing now with the permission of Christopher’s family to help provide answers to some of the questions that have been raised.

      I have known Christopher since his years at Curtis and have observed first-hand Christopher’s financial difficulties and struggles during his marriage and, very sadly, during the unfolding events of the last year. Throughout this time, I can assure you that his parents have done everything possible to help their son. I have also witnessed the change of heart by several close friends of Christopher and Lily concerning their attitudes about Christopher’s parents – a change that resulted from their meeting and speaking with the parents, and subsequent understanding of how Christopher’s parents had been systematically maligned and cut off by Lily. In time, moreover, these former friends observed for themselves the types of abuses and manipulation that Christopher suffered from his wife, who continually acted to control and isolate him.

      What has not been made known is that Christopher made at least three suicide attempts while in his wife’s care during the past year, before his final jump from the roof of the hospital in Geneva. In response to his first two suicide attempts, his parents made every effort to get the medical and psychiatric help that Christopher so desperately needed. If you visit the webpages for Christopher, you will see that there is mention of two “accidents” that left him bound to a wheel chair. In fact, this refers to the first two suicide attempts Christopher made in Philadelphia (jumping off the Walnut St bridge – Oct 2013 and Feb 2014). It was out of urgent concern over these events that prompted his parents to intercede to get their son the medical and psychiatric help he needed.

      At first, they were not able to do so, because they were barred by Lily, not only from seeing their son after the 1st attempt, but also from receiving any news about his condition at the UPENN hospital … behavior consistent with Lily’s previous interference that blocked Christopher’s parents from having any contact with their son for more than eight years of their marriage.

      Circumstances changed, however, after the 2nd jump: with reports from several doctors who were convinced that Christopher was at extreme risk to attempt another suicide, as Lily made it known that she had no intention to follow through with any of their recommended therapies, Christopher’s parents – as their last possible effort to get help for their son – applied for a court-appointed 3rd person guardian to assist in getting the medical and psychiatric therapies recommended by both the UPENN and Hahnemann Hospitals in Philadelphia. The court approved their petition, and in defiance of this Philadelphia court order in May 2014, Christopher’s wife took Christopher out of the country to Switzerland, thereby breaking the law and terminating the supportive therapies that were mandated by the court.

      During his hospitalization in Philadelphia from Feb to May, Christopher’s parents had the opportunity to reconnect with their son, when they successfully petitioned the court for permission to have regular visits. As hospital staff, family and friends can attest, Christopher never wavered in his love for his parents, just as his parents never wavered in their love for their son.

      Christopher’s death is heartbreaking on so many levels – not the least of which is the enormous tragedy and loss that his parents are suffering. They received the news of their son’s death by tertiary sources, the day after — not even aware that their son had been hospitalized in Geneva for a previous attempt to end his life.

      In every way, this is a tragic loss of a beautiful spirit and musical talent …
      – I write this as a friend of Christopher’s, who knew him from his first days at Curtis, and who visited him during his hospital recoveries in Philadelphia and attended both court hearings.

      • Lauren says:

        Thank you for posting this clarifying statement. As an outsider knowing nothing of the actual circumstances, I found it odd that he had had so many “accidents” during the time he was estranged from his parents and yet it seemed that some blamed them for his acts of self-violence. I know that some childhood traumas can have lifelong consequences but I also know that sexual love can also be a deadly intoxicant. I feel very sad for the young man. Whomever it was that stood in the way of him getting proper treatment should be tried in court for accessory to manslaughter.

      • Anto says:

        Thank you for this clarification. I could imagine this scenario only by reading the gofundme statement and watching the youtube video in the nursery home (not so much the beauty of Chris playing, but the scenes right before/after the performance, which were a clear example of what kind of person was around him). A pianist like Christopher would not write in that primordial form, not to mention write sentences about the gratitude to his wife for his musical understanding… such a shame! A tragedy… Yes, probably he needed medical support, but someone is responsible for what happened to him. A young pianist needed care not carEEr at that point of his life. My condolences to his parents. I cannot imagine their pain.

      • An actual friend says:

        There’s no reason to believe you are a friend of Christopher RIP. Christopher himself was quite negative about his parents.

  • Jac says:

    I agree that this author made a wise and respectful choice not to report on the “story” he was asked to publish four months ago – particularly where all sides of that story have not been examined and all facts not confirmed. Until someone fully, objectively, and accurately examines and confirms both sides of this story, all would be wise to withhold judgment and assumptions. Remember that, often, the one telling the tale is not telling the truth. Please do as Polly suggested — listen to Christopher’s music and rejoice in the beauty he created.

    • John Borstlap says:

      I don’t understand why someone’s private tragedy should be fully exposed to the world, only because he/she was an artist.

  • Christine says:

    RIP Chris.
    Leslie Howard: Shame on you — Chris’s parent’s tried *everything possible* to reach Chris and get him help. They loved him deeply.
    The situation was tragic, and my heart has been — and continues to be — with his family.

  • Allan Dennis says:

    Lesie Howard, I have no idea where you got this information but I have known Chris and his parents for almost 20 years and Chris won his two medals at Fischoff Chamber Music Competition as part of our Midwest Young Artists Chamber Music Program. The fact is his parents were and have remained totally supportive of Chris, even after his illness resulted in him marrying someone who led him astray in both his career and in his life choices, someone who was old enough to be his mother! No, you have it wrong. His parents are devastated any your comment is not only not based in reality but hurtful to them.

  • Lloyd Arriola says:

    A fantastic virtuoso. This is a profoundly tragic end to a brilliant young person and a superb musician.

  • John Borstlap says:

    A terrible story.

    Did not something similar happen to Yewgeny Moguylevski, the young Russian pianist, in the sixties or seventies?

  • Marina Arshinova says:

    No! Evgeny Mogilevsky is living in Belgium, I think, now, enjoying big family and is OK

    I wouldn’t blame in this tragedy anyone. Chris was very very sick. That’s the reason. No one was guilty, no one could help him. RIP

  • Lauren says:

    I find it especially difficult to take when someone so young and talented cannot overcome their internal or external struggles and succumbs to death by suicide or drug/drink related death. Only the people close to Christopher knows the real story but if there is someone(s) who pushed him towards an untimely end or stood by and did nothing whilst he careened into his death spiral, may they reap what they sow ten-fold. Still, Christopher left the world his music; this is worth more than what most people achieve in a full lifetime. I hope he is at peace now.

  • Friend says:

    What kind of parent would not go to Switzerland and see Christopher, and make sure if he was getting good treatment there, in the first clinic?
    We do not believe that Lily is entirely to blame for this situation. Christopher chose to be with her, no matter what. They were two strange souls, perhaps, who found each other. And they did love each other, in whatever fashion.
    The statement by his parents via a friend is misleading, and I’m sure Leslie Howard has a very reasonable grasp of the situation. There is no reason to assume his parents are victims of this situation.
    Why Christopher was suicidal was hard to tell. He could not say. He was not a normal person. He did not have a good relationship with his father, that was very clearly said to us by Christopher. His previous attempts at suicide happened as something coming over him, but were half-hearted, in that the Walnut Street bridge is not particularly high.
    We were told that his and Lily’s mutual concern was that the intrusion of a guardian meant interference with his artistic career, that he was being controlled by people who did not care if he ever gave another concert. That is a reasonable fear. And the clinic in Switzerland, we were told, was cooperating with the guardian, with the courts, which made it not a safe sanctuary for him, as it should have been.
    It seemed apparent that this situation was only going to end in death for someone. It is sad that it was Christopher, but he was literally a broken man. He never really had a chance.

    • Anto says:

      Last year one of my friend (a wonderful pianist too) attempted suicide. I was the only person he was accepting to communicate with- despite I didn’t know him so well at that point- just because I said “you are right” to whatever he was telling me, while other people were trying to convince him to see a doctor. He suspected someone was trying to murder him (which was absolutely not true!). The truth is that, while I was telling “yes, you are right” to him trying to calm him down, I was communicating with his family and friends and I was talking to a psychologist to understand how to handle that situation and how to avoid mistakes. He has bipolar disorder. He attempted suicide and was brought to a clinic. Now he has resumed his career. Unfortunately it is difficult for “normal minds” to understand what is normal, what is the truth. He also blamed his own family for trying to help him, he hated them. With the difference that nobody believed him and nobody reinforced in him the idea that his family was wrong and that he was just “fine”.

      • Christine says:

        Thank you for this insight, Anto.
        I think your friend’s situation was similar to Christopher’s in many ways. It is one thing for someone to be vulnerable and in need of help, while at the same time, it can be impossible to get them to ACCEPT the help they need.

        • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

          Die beste Hilfe für Christopher Falzone wäre gewesen, wenn ihm ein Mäzen generös unter die Arme gegriffen hätte. Diese Hilfe hätte er sicher angenommen. Dass er die ihm von der Zwangspsychiatrie aufgezwungen chemischen Substanzen abgelehnt hat, war sehr weise von ihm. Leider hat er sich gegen ihren Machtapparat nicht durchsetzen können. Man kann übrigens in den Fachinformationen nachlesen, dass diese Substanzen das Selbstmordrisiko erhöhen.

  • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

    Ich hatte mit Christopher Falzone mehrere telefonische Unterhaltungen, während er in der Schweiz war. Er hat mich auch schriftlich ausführlich über seine Situation orientiert. Kurz vor seinem Sprung hat mir angerufen, ist jedoch lediglich auf meinen Telefonbeantworter geraten. Darüber habe ich ein Tondokument. Ich habe ihm sofort zurückgerufen, es kam jedoch ebenfalls nur sein Beantworter.

    Aus all den Dokumenten und seinen Äusserungen geht hervor, was für ihn falsch gelaufen ist:

    1. Das Zerwürfnis mit den Eltern.
    2. Dass ihm in Amerika ein Vormund aufgezwungen worden ist.
    3. Dass er in Amerika wiederholt in psychiatrische Institutionen eingeliefert und dort gezwungen worden war, Psychopharmaka einzunehmen.
    4. Dass er in die psych. Anstalt Schlosstal Winterthur zwangseingewiesen worden ist.
    5. Dass ihm das Schlosstal noch nicht einmal Urlaub gewährt hat, um an einem festgesetzten Konzertauftritt im Tessin teilzunehmen.
    6. Dass ihn das Schlosstal nicht entlassen wollte.
    7. Dass ihm nach seiner Entlassung – ohne ihm die geringste Beschwerdemöglichkeit einzuräumen – sein Pass entzogen und dieser vom Schlosstal an die amerikanische Botschaft in Bern geschickt worden ist.
    8. Dass die Botschaft sich geweigert hat, ihm den Pass vorbehaltlos auszuhändigen. Mangels eines gültigen Reisedokuments konnte er nicht, wie er sehnlichst gewünscht hat, seine Konzerttätigkeit fortsetzen.
    9. Dass er – wie der Tonbandaufnahme entnommen werden kann – im Spital in Genf genötigt worden ist, Psychopharmaka einzunehmen.

    Gründe genug, um diesmal eine Höhe für seinen Sprung zu wählen, welche tödlich war…

    Edmund Schoenenberger
    Barrister at law

  • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

    Zusätzlich ist auf die betrübliche Rolle hinzuweisen, welche sein Vater gespielt hat. Als Christopher Falzone im Schlosstal die Entlassung verlangt hat, fand eine Gerichtsverhandlung statt. Er war durch keinen Anwalt vertreten. An die Verhandlung wurde der Vater via Videokonferenz zugeschaltet. Er votierte dafür, dass sein Sohn weiterhin in der Anstalt zu verbleiben habe und dass seine Rückschaffung nach Amerika in die Wege geleitet werden müsse. Aus Protest verliess Christopher Falzone die Verhandlung. Seine Entlassungsklage wurde vom Gericht abgeschmettert. Das Urteil liegt mir vor.

  • Andrew Patner says:

    As would be expected, we are now hearing from various people around the woman who identifies herself as Christopher’s wife. I am certainly not going to enter into debate with them or about Christopher and his family. I ask only that people take very seriously what serious mental illness is. Is all professional treatment perfect? Is every doctor or hospital without flaw? Of course not. But *serious mental illness* — from depression to schizophrenia and everything in between and beyond — is treated medically and psychologically and that can include taking medication that a patient initially does not want to take, side effects that can indeed be troubling, and involuntary hospitalizations. It is *not* a different situation for artists. They are not “cured” only by music — though music and self-identity certainly play a role in psychological and medical wholeness. And unsupervised leaves from a hospital to attend a concert, a meeting, or a birthday party are not normal parts of treatment. With an ocean between them and at least three different countries with very different legal systems and traditions it’s certainly not in the power of any single attorney, lawyer, solicitor, or barrister to say why the family members each acted as they did, what they should or could have done, and certainly quite heinous to joke that it was only logical for a mentally ill person to jump “with parents/friends/a spouse like that.” Perhaps it is time, for the same legitimate reasons that he did not initially report accusations in this story, for Mr Lebrecht to wind down this discussion in this venue? Thank you.

    • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

      Indem Sie von einer *serious mental illness*ausgehen, beleidigen Sie den Toten!

      Ich habe mit ihm gesprochen. Er war nicht geisteskrank! Die realen und konkreten Gründe, welche ihm zugesetzt haben, habe ich aufgelistet.

      Die Zwangspsychiatrie hat mit Fürsorge nichts zu tun. Sie ist ein Herrschaftsinstrument.

      http://edmund.ch/more/1/FundamentalkritikZwangspsychiatrie.pdf

      Edmund Schoenenberger

    • norman lebrecht says:

      Andrew, I see no harm if those involved with him bring truths to light – so long as it is done with respect and discretion.

      • Andrew Patner says:

        Understood, Norman. And now that Mr Schönenberger has asked others to examine him, it should be made clear to those who do not read German or who are unfamiliar with Mr Schönenberger or the Scientology cult, that Mr Schönenberger is a prominent and very public Swiss-based European battler against ALL psychiatry which he and his colleagues regard as an illegitimate and dangerous pseudo-science and seek to ban its practice. No need to take my word for it. He has posted his own article above. And he did not know Christopher Falzone even if he might have had a telephone conversation with him.

        • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

          Statt meine Fakten zu widerlegen versucht Andrew Patner, mich ehrenrührig mit der Scientology gleichzusetzen.

          Er soll sich schämen!

          Was meine Kritik der Zwangspsychiatrie anbelangt, kann ich mich auf meine 40-jährigen gerüttelten Erfahrungen im Umgang mit dieser neuen Geissel der Menschheit stützen.

          Ich empfehle ihm, Peter Breggins „Giftige Psychiatrie“ zu studieren. Da er ja die deutsche Sprache beherrscht, kann er sich auch bei Volker Aderhold kundig machen:

          http://www.psychiatrie.de/fileadmin/redakteure/dgsp/Artikel_Soziale_Psychiatrie_als_PDF/sp_118_5_Mortalitaet_durch_Neuroleptika__Aderhold_.pdf

          Selbstverständlich hat er das Recht, sich als überzeugter Anhänger der Zwangspsychiatrie zu outen.

          Meinung gegen Meinung: Das Urteil wird wie üblich die Geschichte fällen.

          Auf seine allfälligen weiteren Ausfälle gegen mich werde ich nicht mehr reagieren. Das wäre unter meiner Würde.

          Edmund Schoenenberger

  • Marina Petrovskaia says:

    Unfortunately, this has become an issue of judgment and personal interpretations of the tragedy. Some people are eager to participate in the blame game for various reasons. You said that Christopher’s “parents and his wife appeared to be on opposite sides”. That is very true. Yet you did not reveal what Christopher wanted, namely, which side he took. This is not fair to Christopher. We all should read carefully what his Swiss attorney is saying. This is evidence as opposed to various interpretations given by others.

    • Andrew Patner says:

      Ma’am and others, The gentleman was not Christopher Falzone’s attorney.

      • Lauren says:

        If the barrister is indeed involved in Scientology then nothing he says can be taken seriously. I have friend who were involved in Scientology for a time it there is no question that it is a toxic and violent cult. My friends were bled dry of their money and ability to think for themselves. They were subjected to military-style brainwashing when they finally woke up and get out, their lives were threatened and all of their Scientology friends shunned them. Was Christopher or his wife involved in this cult? If so, it explains a lot.

  • Anto says:

    I don’t see any “Beleidigung der Toten” in discussing a very common issue within artists- Bipolar Disorder and mental disorders in general are unfortunately often paired with creative minds- and how to approach it.
    If Chris was able to talk so much on the “Anrufbeantworter”, this was already a sign of an emergency situation. Encouraging him to see his treatment as a crime was not a good idea and a crime itself (I am reading the articles against medical treatments that the person who manages Chris’ facebook page is posting). Btw. you may have a brilliant mind and be “Geistigkrank” at the same time, have some lucidity and being obsessive and schizophrenic.

  • Friend says:

    Far too many assumptions are being made. Few people knew the complete picture. It was a very complicated situation, and as someone pointed out, Christopher made his own choices, no matter what, and he was an adult, whatever his impairments. He knew that suicide would cause bad feelings, yet was inexorably drawn to it. No one is innocent, and no one is guilty. It is time to stop judging.

    • Marian Archibald says:

      There is a kind of abuse which is traditionally found where a husband tries to control every little thing in a wife’s life (particularly true in certain “exotic” cultures, but also found in democracies). Christopher was subject to a more unusual kind of abuse [redacted: abuse]. I only met his parents once, in a Philadelphia hospital, and I am not able to judge anything about them. [redacted A heart-felt thank you to everyone who made videos of his playing and put them on YouTube! I have them as well as my memories of his magnificent, incredibly gifted playing. I grieve at his being gone. Rest in Peace, Christopher!

      • Marian Archibald says:

        Why did the blog manager redact (= remove) my text about Liliya being an incompetent manager for Christopher? [redacted: Your comments were defamatory and unfounded by evidence. They were also in extreme bad taste.]

        • Friend says:

          If his life with his wife was so intolerable, why didn’t he divorce her? It’s too simple and narrow to place all blame on her. Yes, she was incompetent in many ways, and dominating, but, she was also watchful in trying to keep him from trying to keep him from jumping again, or so she said. They are/were both damaged people. His attempts were not rational choices to get away from her. To do that, he only had to walk out. He apparently was incapable of functioning on his own, to take care of himself. That was a more basic issue. It was obvious he loved her. Not being able to cope was a more fundamental issue, and has much more to do with what was already in place in his psyche. He did not even choose his own repertoire. That says a lot. He followed willingly, too willingly. I saw a similar situation to this with another couple that ended in both their deaths, but it had to do with who they were. You just cannot pick one detail or aspect and blame it all on that. After all, it was Lily who enlisted the help and support of Marthe Argerich, or they could not have left Philadelphia, where they were both miserable, with nothing at all to do. You could blame it all on the fact that there are too few opportunities in the USA now for gifted musicians, and the desperate outlook is enough to drive anyone over the brink. They both enjoyed having a comfortable lifestyle, and in that, they were spoiled by the degree of success he achieved, the fact that musicians are paid well in Europe, and deplorably in the USA.
          You can also blame the fact that Christopher got no more study or coaching after a few years at Curtis, and so he could play so well, but I felt lacked real sophistication and artistry in style and taste. What did lay ahead for him? Anything of substance? He couldn’t teach.

          • norman lebrecht says:

            Enough speculation. A gifted young man has died. Let him rest in peace, the pair of you.

          • Nancy says:

            It seems Christopher is slandered continuously here, mostly in passive-agressive manner (Oh, well, he had a severe psychiatric condition) always in connection to claims his parents are not t o blame, but did everything they could (which is evidently not true).

    • Peter Edwards says:

      Yea sounds like nobody really to blame as such. He did seem a troubled person. A lot of pianists are strangely enough
      Rip

  • Marina Petrovskaia says:

    Maybe he wasn’t. Yet he was somehow involved. He knows what Christopher was saying that morning. This may be important as well as some other evidence left in the hospital. We cannot completely ignore that.

  • Andrew Patner says:

    Würde! Perhaps Counselor Schönenberger should remember the popular song lyrics immortalized by the late Whitney Houston (and a good thing that Ms Houston did not get psychiatric help — she might have died! Oh, wait. She died.): “No matter what they take from me/They can’t take away my DIG NI TY.” He needn’t worry about me.

  • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

    I have set the latest message from Christopher Falzone the same morning before his death online, so that everyone can make himself acquainted with all that actualy has disturbed him.

    Edmund Schoenenberger

    http://www.psychex.ch/doku/christopherfalzone.wav

  • Andrew Patner says:

    Wow. An “attorney” who would post online for a world of strangers a take recording of someone who called to seek his confidential counsel. This man will stop at nothing. Perhaps someone in Switzerland reading this can report this posting to the proper federal, cantonal, and professional bar authorities. Certainly anyone should be very careful about sending this individual a personal e-mail or leaving him a voice message.

    • Marian Archibald says:

      The posting of a voice recording is truly bad. And it is even bad from Barrister At Law’s point of view: everything Christopher says about the hospital restricting him is The Doing Of His Wife. Can’t you see that, Barrister????? They are listening to her, NOT being evil by themselves. The result was very evil. But your bete noir, psychiatry, is not the main sinner.

  • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

    In meiner Fundamentalkritik der Zwangspsychiatrie (S. 7) erläutere ich was folgt:

    „Halten kann sich dieses unselige System, indem die Zwangspsychiatrie seit ihrem Bestehen unter grösstmöglicher Geheimhaltung operiert. Ihre Bollwerke sind für die Öffentlichkeit unzugänglich, die Gerichtsverhandlungen sind geheim. Der Staat gibt vor, er müsse die Privatsphäre der Versenkten schützen.

    Das Gegenteil ist der Fall!

    Er muss seine eigenen Schandtaten verstecken.“

    http://edmund.ch/more/1/FundamentalkritikZwangspsychiatrie.pdf

    Es ist daher unabdingbare Pflicht, die Verbrechen des Staates ans Tageslicht zu zerren. Dass dies seinen Komplizen missfällt, kann nur einen Feigling daran hindern aufzuklären.

    Edmund Schoenenberger

  • Edmund Schoenenberger, barrister at law says:

    Ich muss leider noch einmal diesen Herrn in die Schranken weisen, welcher, um davon abzulenken, dass Christopher Falzone in den Tod getrieben worden ist, versucht, ihn in die Ecke der Geisteskranken zu stellen und sich gar auch noch erdreistet, öffentlich dazu aufzurufen, mich bei der zuständigen Aufsichtsbehörde zu diskreditieren (was mir – nebenbei bemerkt – vollkommen egal wäre).

    Er disqualifiziert sich in jeder Hinsicht..

    Nach schweiz. Anwaltsrecht werden demjenigen, welcher mutwillig eine Anzeige erstattet, die Kosten des Verfahrens aufgebürdet. Damit also niemand sich dazu verleiten lässt, seinem primitiven Aufruf zu folgen, sei darauf hingewiesen, dass ich von der in die Rechte ihres Ehemanns getretenen Witwe zur Veröffentlichung seiner Nachricht autorisiert worden bin.

  • SC says:

    This discussion has become somewhat dominated by comments from a certain Edmund Schoenenberger. For those of us who can read German, might I recommend Googling this person’s name and that of his organisation, Psychex. The results are instructive and may help to set his comments in context.

    • Lauren says:

      If one highlights any text in any language and open Google Translator, it automatically translates into your language of choice.

      I have read all of the arguments here and each has some merit. I do think psychiatry and even locked facilities can be very useful for sufferer of mental illness and for the protection of society. I also know that mind-altering drugs are being handed out like candy even to very young people and the side-effects can be fatal. I am also aware that unlike prison, locked mental health facilities have no fixed release date which is scary on so many levels.

      This is a sad and complex tale that ended in tragedy for all parties concerned. Inquiries at the highest levels in multiple countries should occur. RIP Christopher, the music you left will continue to speak for the part of you untouched by suffering.

  • Occamsrazor says:

    The video of his solo version of Rachmaninov 3d has captured for posterity a fantastic example of stolen intellectual property. Those few people who have heard the original performed by the author of this transcription notice that while the pianist in this video is undoubtedly a major talent, he was only able to produce an approximate copy of it. The reason for this is that the author not only never bothered to write it down but was smart enough to never perform it in public. One wouldn’t expect the author of this to be any less intelligent in the light of of the official intentionally ridiculous version of the way Mr. Falzone met his end.He only had a professionally made audio recording of the author’s performance of it. What he was able to produce is a greatly simplified copy which nevertheless is a proof of his talent. Unlike Mr.Falzone whose official cause of death is jumping from a window of a psychiatric hospital, the author of this had the intelligence to match his talent and knew better than play it in public. You see, anything in this world is possible except one thing which is jumping from psychiatric hospital windows. If this was not the case , the sidewalks underneath nuthouses would be littered with fresh bodies every day. If one accepts that everyone deserves everything in their lives, Mr. Falzone’s obvious talent doesn’t earn him an exception from this rule. People lose their lives for stealing things much less valuable than the ones which cannot be stolen. These things include this transcription which the author wisely chose to never commit to paper but had overestimated the integrity of those few who had his recording. Trying to copy it exactly by ear without faking much of it is impossible but Mr. Falzone correctly thought that even his version was enough to impress most listeners. He earned himself a place in history which is unique due to both his significant talent and the intentionally ridiculous official version of the way he met his end. Those who gave or sold him what can neither be given nor sold, only succeeded in killing him.

    • Meetme@myoffice says:

      Dude, you are being honored as Liszt being played by Christopher ! Congrats!
      Time to reveal yourself.
      But… Just wandering about Busoni concerto, is it also was stolen as unpunished score from you? That one is even more impressive, because only a few can grasp it as Busoni wrote it in original… but he got to play it all himself in the same style as Rach 3′ (and 2′). … how about Faure? Tchaik 1′ and trio? And Schumann concerto, Saint-Saence… Mazart, Beethoven, Scarlatti… and more. Dude, tell us, is it all yours ? We will fully trust you at once!

      • Occamsrazor says:

        The only thing that needs to be added is that the author started working on this transcription in 2000 and finished it plus made an audio recording in 2005. At that time Christopher was 20. It’s possible that he arrived at the idea independently in 2000 at the age of 15. When the real author of it was 15, he was busy drinking wine and learning how to properly flirt with girls. He reported that it took inhumane amount of work to create this transcription and he was in his 30s. How Christopher was able to combine working on the Rachmaninov with the rest of his transcriptions is a mystery. He was a fragile man, both physically and mentally. His playing lacks sophistication and the technique needed to play the usual paragons of virtuosity at the level where one is tempted to transcend them. It would have been better if he chose one thing, worked on it for a few years and played it well, instead of choking on dozens of inhuman tasks at once like a python with a cow inside. Again, I have no idea where he got the rest of his stuff.

    • CV says:

      WoW, here we go for “being Christopher F” in continuations of a Hollywoodienne fantasy “being J.Malkovich”

    • CV says:

      Forgot to propose to play it (Christopher = Rach 3), it would’ve be nice to be seeing in action! Come on man, get out of vessel!

      • Occamsrazor says:

        I said exactly what I wanted to say, no more and no less. Whoever created the rest of his transcriptions is unknown to me. If you read what I said again, it’ll be obvious to you that the author of this transcription had the intelligence that matched his talent. I have posted enough and, meinen Damen und Herren, this is where it ends. By the way, there is no such thing as second Liszt etc. The entire conservatory scam is based on the idea that there can be a second Horowitz or Heifetz. The author of the Rachmaninov 3D made many other transcriptions but none from the rest played by Christopher, G-d rest his soul. I suggest that Mr. Lebrecht delete my post and the inane bullshit underneath which is sprouting from it.

      • Occamsrazor says:

        If you remember, Chris “jumped” from bridges twice before “jumping” from a Geneva nuthouse window in 2014. Notice that among those who wrote miles of text about him, not one person pointed out the improbability of jumping from a nuthouse window, let alone 2 previous attempts to kill himself by jumping from heights which he survived. Classical musicians are among the dumbest segments of society. The author of this had enough brains to quit music all together right after finishing this transcription. That’s why he is alive and well today. I talk to him often, he is very busy with things completely unrelated to music, he hasn’t practiced since about 2006 but once in a blue moon practices for a week or so, a couple of hours a day to play a little for a few close friends. He permitted me to tell about this story here because he could never find time. He is very happy that he left the music world which by now has degenerated to such degree that nobody doubts the official story of Chris’ death. Ask any non-musician person what is easier, to break into the Fort Knox or jump out of a Swiss nuthouse or even one in the poorest of countries? There is a guy on YouTube who plays classical music for old blind elephants. He knows about the intellectual capacity of today’s audiences. Who knows, maybe he wrote that transcription? To play such things in front of today’s average people is to become a clown. The author is far from being one and he is not suicidal because such playing is proof that entities, not entirely human walk among us and the proof still requires security clearance. There’s also a Chinese guy on YouTube playing just the last movement of the transcription.He claims to be 16 at the time of his recording 2 years ago. He came the latest to the party and there is no need to suicide him because this may wake up even the dumbest among the audience. The author finds his playing superb and wishes him luck. The poor Chris was the first to officially come out with the entire thing and paid the ultimate pric. The people close to Chris need to be investigated because the story stinks to high heaven. It’s painfully obvious that his early training was awful and he was exploited as a kid instead of teaching him properly and gently studying his phenomena because each such case is unique and requires a genuine friend capable of understanding, not just a teacher/salesman. Nobody deserves to die the way he did. The greedy people close to him failed to warn him that such playing belongs to the Area 51, not concert halls. You wouldn’t send someone whose high jump is 5 meters instead of 2.45 to the Olympics? Whoever “managed” him as a human being couldn’t have done a worse job ( yes, such people need genuine pros around them that are completely trustworthy to manage them in every aspect of life.) Instead they exploited a kid who was prepared neither physically nor mentally, his obvious pianistic deficiencies were the easiest to correct. The stolen intellectual property is the least criminal aspect of this story.

        • 6 says:

          Dear concern friend (name is NA) of the author (name is NA). thank you for your concern of Chris ( name is “Christopher” for you and others whom he didn’t ever being friends with) and concern of Rachmaninoff’s concerto n.3.(a real author) for Christopher himself, who obviously capable – mentally, physically, technically and intellectually – on his videos playing ( running through) Rachmaninoff’s orchestral score by heart ( actually, all what he played, was played by heart since it was in his heart).
          If it’s poisoning you so much (!), you should’ve already give us a senceful and soundful release of some kind of transcriptional score of Rachmaninoff. Otherwise, nobody is happy – neither unknown you or unknown friend of your, transcriber.
          Get some transcend help in area with number 5+1.
          Good grief

          • Occamsrazor says:

            6, you expect me to chat with google translator about what is and isn’t possible in the piano realm or the security features of Swiss mental institutions? I wrote plenty of text and I don’t mean disrespect by calling him Chris. People here say Rach, Tchaik etc. IMHO that’s disrespectful, calling someone Chris is far from that.Don’t ask anyone to play anything for you to satisfy your curiosity or for any other purpose. First of all, interesting piano playing costs money and you ain’t got it. Nobody is trying to prove anything here. Chris had already played for you. If you could somehow alter the past, I bet you would leave this horror unchanged because for you it’s entertainment. The author would prefer to see him enjoy a long and healthy life, even though it’s boring for the degenerate audiences of today. If you could press a button and see new people everyday, playing this and then getting killed in some ritualistic manner, you would be pressing that button more often than piano keys. Do you suppose you can manipulate people capable of creating something like that transcription by any tactics? Even though google translator? Such delusions of grandeur are uncommon even among classical musicians. They feel that they are on a pedestal even while being the subjects of a small-scale social research study, as you are now.

          • Joanne says:

            What do we know about Occamsrasor (nivacula occami)
            He knows two names only ….
            1. Chris -“Christopher”, understandably, too official and too long for such cool gay (?), who drinking from age 15, and he knows about Christopher’s technique as there’re some incredible imperfections, – non of us or his mentors were even able to imagine, thanks for pointing out!
            (I just checked out his Ravel and “Mazeppa”, wow, wow! Incredible, really!)
            2. Author’s name is Rachmaninoff, who asked Occansrasor if he can claim for his property being exploded for a “reading and interpretation”. yet…We never will find out anymore from that “friend” of his, why did he wrote that concerto, – maybe just to waste his 8 hours of his day away from his vodka or … just for quorum of “likes” or flirting with girls. Ah… I can imagine… Ow! yes,
            We can! (ref. to BO)
            And more revelations from “transcriber”, he going to let us read his script “Death is a killing or Rachmaninoff’s life in underground”
            Take a bow, sir and it’s a time for you to get some fresh air. We will investigate … more…

          • Occamsrazor says:

            Joanne, why is it that everyone who decided to respond to my post which doesn’t contain even a hint of an invitation to discuss this matter and instead has an aura of finality, is either a giggly stoned kid or a foreigner, both kinds butchering English language even with the help of google translator? I’m also a foreigner and occasionally make slight mistakes but for Pete’s sake, compare your writing to mine. I have more entertaining things to do than chat with google translator or stoned kids from piano forums. I don’t know if you have noticed but his entire performance of Rachmaninov 3 is mezzo forte. I wonder if this was due to the flat affect brought upon by psychiatric drugs that someone may have been already feeding him at the time. Mazeppa is not a difficult piece, it’s played by Moscow kids every day. Virtuosity level is easily checked by opus 10 no 2, Schumann Toccata and Erlkonig , the total time should be a little over 10 minutes in case the victim doesn’t play the repeat in the Toccata. There is something disturbingly wrong with Christopher’s dynamics, everything tends to be mezzo forte. Is it due to hideous schooling which included zero information about the infinite piano timbres and colors or the flat affect caused by depression? I don’t know. My initial post was not so much about him or his playing. It was about the piano world studiously ignoring an obvious, hideous murder. As you see, I cannot be manipulated into providing any more details about the origin of this transcription, if you do enough investigation within the world of professional pianists, you might find out without my help.Do they speak English in “what”? I dare you, I double dare you, say “what “ one more goddamn time. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=qo5jnBJvGUs

      • Occamsrazor says:

        “Forgot to propose to play it (Christopher = Rach 3), it would’ve be nice to be seeing in action! Come on man, get out of vessel!” CV, to play it for whom, stoned and incoherent piano masturbators from piano forums whose vocabulary consists of: ” Dat be some legendary shit, man!”? To get a few likes from you here and on YouTube? What is this “come on, man”? This is another example of stolen intellectual property, this phrase belongs forever to your commander in chief. Your expect people like the author of this to start practicing again 8 hrs a day? Imagine that you could play like that, sacrificing most of your life and energy, in order to get likes from people like yourself? See? If your likes were worth a damn, you would try to get them from yourself and would be practicing all day long instead of typing here with a joint falling out of your mouth. Earn your own likes before offering this currency to others for their labor.

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