Happy birthday Menahem Pressler, 98 today
mainPianist of the Beaux Arts Trio for half a century and then an international soloist, Menahem is an inspiration to us all.
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Lovely! HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MAESTRO, and thank you for the
hours of music shared!
Fantastic ! Have a wonderful day
Rob
ad mea v’esrim in the best of everything, health, happiness, family and continued successes. x0x0
Norman, I recall you had a great discussion with him in Ottawa roughly a decade ago.
we did, indeed!
A most Happy Birthday dear Maestro ! So many great memories of your concerts.
More accurately, N.L., Pressler’s career was in (at least) three stages not just two. He was a soloist first. Don’t forget all those solo, concerto, and chamber music recordings he made for MGM Records BEFORE there was a Beaux Arts Trio. There was standard repertoire such as Debussy but also some really rare stuff. (I wish my Pressler/MGM LPs were in better shape, and I wish there were more of them. I’ve never seen his MGM 78s but there were some.)
Unaware it was Mr. Pressler’s birthday this week, I had been listening to his LP recording (on the Monitor label) of Mendelssohn’s 1st piano concerto, with Swarowsky conducting. A performance full of life.
Dear Manahem, Warmest birthday wishes from Cape Cod! You have lived a rich life, and shared your gift and love for music to enrich the lives of all of us who love and admire you.
John and Olivann Hobbie
Mr. Pressler was and will forever be my teacher.
It is the first and only time I have seen a soloist playing from written music.
Clifford Curzon did the same in a Mozart concerto at the RFH in the 1970s. No shame in that.
Really? Then obviously your concert experience is limited.
What about Richter? In much younger years.
How many 98 years old pianists have you heard making debut with Berliner Philharmonic playing with or without written music?
Good grief. Who cares? The guy was 90/91 in that video. Can’t you just be grateful he’s still here to share beautiful music with us?
You obviously didn’t see Svjatoslav Richter in his last 20 years or so…
Belated mazel tov, Maestro, from a big fan in Paris to whom your music has given much joy for many years.
Happy birthday and wonderful to see your smiling face. I treasure all the love and inspiration you have shared.
With gratitude,
Louise
I think very few people expected the incredible beauty and quality of his last performances and recordings…
His DGG violÃn/piano CD (available in Japan) is beyond incredible.
I am still waiting for his Schumann CD with Matthias Goerner…..
May I tell an amusing anecdote?About 40 years ago, I attended a Beaux Arts concert in Calgary, one of 20 concerts in a 21 day span! (The two previous evenings they were in Sacramento and Boston – these were men in their late 50’s and 60’s!). At the reception, I couldn’t help but overhear Mr Pressler say “You know on that empty day, I think I can get us a concert!” Mr Cohen rolled his eyes and Mr Greenhouse shook his head disapprovingly… (it is no secret that those two did not get along on a personal level). Mr Pressler didn’t miss their reaction and responded with (in that inimitable voice)” It’s a free evening, why shouldn’t we play??”
And he exhibited this kind of energy in everything he did. I used to wonder…. Will he burn out one if these days, or will he keep going into late old age?
Now we know:-))
So much musical history in those years. Thank you sir, for the joy your playing has brought to the musical cognoscenti.