Gergiev’s waving, not drowning

Gergiev’s waving, not drowning

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norman lebrecht

May 02, 2016

His pal Denis Matsuev has published this birthday picture of the two of them in the deep.

gergiev swimming

Valery Gergiev is 63 today.

Denis’s message:

Сегодня день рождения у маэстро Гергиева, моего дорогого друга! Я его поздравляю, желаю оставаться в таком же гергиевском драйве, который заряжает всех, в том числе вашего покорного слугу! А ещё благодарю его за бесконечные великие импровизации! Потому что этой ночью мы с ним созванивались, и так получилось, что сегодня вечером мы с ним будем на сцене Концертного зала им. Чайковского играть Второй концерт для фортепиано с оркестром С. В. Рахманинова. Это в стиле маэстро Гергиева, и мне это очень нравится! Несмотря на сверхплотный график, я не могу отказать своему другу в день его рождения и буду с ним на сцене сегодня!
Today is the birthday of maestro Gergiev! My dearest friend! I congratulate him on it and wish him keep on his breathtaking drive, that affects everybody around, including your humble servant. And I thank him with all my heart for his great improvisations! Cause this night he called me and it happened so, that today we are performing Rachmaninoff’s Second piano concerto on the stage of Tchaikovsky Concert Hall. It is definitely Gergiev’s Style. And I love it! So we play Rachmaninov at Gergiev’s Birthday!

Comments

  • will says:

    Yuck yuck and by the way, Yuck!

  • Hugh Jaarce says:

    Effusive congratulations appear to be missing….

  • Milka says:

    Kissing the hand that feeds you is a russian past time.

    • Mick says:

      Better than biting the hand that feeds you. Btw, both habits are just as common over here.

      • Milka says:

        If over here means UK or US I never heard of someone kissing the hand…..being
        invited to kiss another part of the body……yes.
        Actually it is not the hand that is kissed it is the sleeve .

  • CDH says:

    So which way DOES he spell Rachmaninoff(v)?

  • Elizabeth Owen says:

    Are they a couple? Last year’s message from Gergiev to him on his birthday was excrutiating, see it on You Tube if you are desperate!

  • Stuard Young says:

    I am happy to see that Matsuev is enjoying being wet. I very recently traveled to Baltomore to hear him play the Rachmaninoff Third Concerto with Yuri Temirkanov. The pianist was an incredible disappointment. He was DRY, LOUD, FAST, DEMONIC, and possessed all the steely musicianship of a Cyborg. Fortunately, Temirkanov and the BSO turned saved the evening with a stunning Tchaikovsky Fourth Symphony.

  • Robert Hairgrove says:

    I have it on reliable inside information that they were actually rehearsing for a new Russian staging of “Das Rheingold” (the third Rhine maiden, Daniil Trifonov, was taking the picture). 🙂

    From the mountains on the horizon to judge, I guess they weren’t swimming in the Neva?

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