A pianist at prayer in Carnegie Hall

A pianist at prayer in Carnegie Hall

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norman lebrecht

January 23, 2019

Chopin Competition winner Seong-jin Cho, hours before performing to a sold-out house last night.

Not sure many pianists could sustain that pose.

(If you can, submit photo to prove it.)

 

Comments

  • Ed says:
    January 23, 2019 at 12:08 pm

    Yes I can. Two whole minutes.

    Reply
  • Petros Linardos says:
    January 23, 2019 at 1:23 pm

    In the footsteps of Yehudi Menuhin?
    https://lebrecht.wordpress.com/2010/11/04/obituary-pics-from-lebrecht-rudolf-barshai-russian-conductor-and-violist-28-september-1924-%E2%80%93-2-november-2010/yehudi-menuhin-in-yoga-position-on-his-head-with/

    Mr. Lebrecht, have you thought of presenting more musicians in yoga poses? Or other funny pics? That could be a lot of fun, mostly harmless.

    Reply
    • Jeffrey Biegel says:
      January 23, 2019 at 5:08 pm

      Good idea. I think it would be interesting to pen a book about how musicians, actors, doctors, lawyers etc deal with the moments before they have to do their ‘thing’. Some of the responses might be very surprising. Norman, I would co-write that with you.

      Reply
    • Spenser says:
      January 24, 2019 at 4:20 am

      “Other ‘funny pics’ “?
      I do not think this is a “funny pic”.
      What it IS, is a picture of a wonderful artist gathering himself together and in his own way clearing his mind and becoming acclimatised to the performance space before his concert.
      What exactly do you think is “funny” about this photo, Petros?

      Reply
      • Petros Linardos says:
        January 24, 2019 at 5:20 pm

        Nothing funny about Cho’s pose. There is absolutely definitely nothing funny about religious pre-concert rituals.
        Sorry, I should have been clearer. I was referring to my link of a Yehudi Menuhin yoga photograph.

        Reply
  • Sharon says:
    January 24, 2019 at 4:48 am

    I have seen actors for a play hold hands in a circle before a play and pray, especially in performances where American Black predominate. Classical music has a spiritual basis and it is moving to me to see someone try to get into a spiritual space before performing any artistic piece.

    Reply
  • Sharon says:
    January 24, 2019 at 5:39 am

    I have seen actors and others connected to a performance gather together holding hands in a circle on the stage before the performance and pray, especially in productions with predominately Black Americans. What a moving thing!

    Especially in classical music, which has a spiritual component, it is wonderful to see a performer try to “get in the zone” before a performance, whether through yoga or whatever works for him/her.

    Thank you for posting this

    Reply
  • Bill says:
    January 24, 2019 at 8:07 pm

    Even an out-of-shape, inflexible couch potato like myself can sit cross-legged on the floor with hands together in front of chest. Getting the feet up off the floor into the proper lotus pose is a different matter, but that’s not what is being demonstrated in the photo.

    Reply

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