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| Wednesday, 25 August 2004 |
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An impressionistic profile of pianist Louis Page Jnr: Triumph of artistry over virtuosity by Tennyson Rodrigo One wouldn't expect Colombo's five-star hotels to be the right kind of location to present a recital of serious classical music. Yet, on the evening of July 30, the Golden Ballroom of the Colombo Plaza had been transformed into a venue of another kind. There were no chandeliers and other bright lights, chattering human traffic or the tapping of high-healed shoes. A good acoustic ambience was assured with the thick wall-to-wall carpet that would absorb undue reverberation. Under subdued lights a glittering brand-new piano stood waiting. It was placed asymmetrically to the rows of chairs intended for a small gathering of select invitees. They moved around helping themselves to fine refreshments while expectantly waiting for the evening's program to begin.
The printed invitations were from the Family of the late Mr. Albert Page and the event was a performance by pianist Louis Page Jnr - grandson of the late patriarch Albert Page. There was a feeling of intimacy, informality and good ambience that was not without a touch of class. I took a vantage seat in the front row to get the best view of the pianist and the keyboard. As Louis Page Jnr (LPJ) made his appearance, the measured applause that greeted him seemed to suit the unaffected, if expressionless countenance of a young man with a streak of classical features. Perhaps it was my ignorance (or a reflection of a touch of arrogance in me) that I had never heard of Louis Page Jnr before. The first thing I gathered was that 22-year-old LPJ is a third-year student at the Music School of the California Institute of the Arts in Valencia, California. He was on holiday in Sri Lanka. Program The printed program had 11 items, and 5 of them were entirely devoted to Chopin's Etudes, Nocturnes, Ballades and Impromptus. The others were works of Schubert, Brahms, Ravel and Liszt. So the selection was rather wide though each item was of short duration - the three movements of Ravel's Sonatine in F# minor being the exception. Though most of the agenda items were well-loved pieces they afforded sufficient scope and content to display lyricism, virtuosity, colour and dynamics. It's not my intention however to comment on the specifics of how he performed each item in the agenda. I had no doubt that everybody in the audience thoroughly enjoyed his playing as much as I did. For me, the pure technicalities of LPJ's pianism didn't matter and even if there were any flaws I wouldn't have known any way. Instead, with some degree of ease and delight, I have attempted to portray an impressionistic perspective of LPJ's pianism. In one of his writings, Pianist/Conductor Daniel Barenboim says: "The fact that the piano is such a neutral, uninteresting instrument is precisely what enables you to create far more colors on it... You cannot produce a single beautiful sound on the piano. By combining a wonderful Stradivarius and a great violinist, a single beautiful note can be produced by varying the colour, the intensity and the volume of the note. With the piano, the concept of beauty starts with two notes. As soon as one note is softer or louder or shorter, and you are able to articulate the difference between the two, you begin to create an expressive sound on the piano." LPJ's fingers moved on the keyboard with lightness of touch and liquid clarity. There was sensitivity and subtlety in phrasal articulation; dynamic forces were perhaps somewhat moderated and tonal colours were a trifle on the lighter side. I seemed as if every note was rehearsed in his brain a twinkle before neural transmission to his nimble finger-tips. The imagery of his physical movements and the aural impact of his music fused to create on the listener a sense of convergence. The extent to which the body language and posture of different pianists vary is a fascinating phenomenon; some exhibit theatricals, and others extreme volatility and emotion. Legendary Glen Gould at on a low stool, hunch-backed, his chin almost touching the keyboard; among other oddities he displayed the extreme eccentricity of humming while playing. All the same, most critics have stamped his pianism as profoundly exalted. LPJ's posture was erect and the body language was virtually devoid of animation. The supple fingers and the body were well integrated; with high levels of absorption and concentration he carried the audience with him to a state of intense meditative detachment. Enigmatic dimension To me, the climax of LPJ's musical communication was the fulfilling creation of this 'illusion of cessation and oblivion'. His pianism reflects the triumph of intense, creative immersion over passion and muscular virtuosity. On further reflection though, some intriguing questions continue to lurk in my mind. Was this state of detachment a conscious creation of his music-making or simply a drift into self-oblivion? Was he sufficiently conscious that there was an audience that he so inspired? Or, are these impressions an outcome of casual nonchalance of a youth brimming with artistic talent? For sure there was exceptional talent and if it has an enigmatic dimension as well, then there could also be a streak of genius. Having said all that, it would be further illuminating to witness a performance where LPJ would appear as soloist in a piano concerto. That would certainly provide further insights into the breath and depth of his musical skills and expression. Colombo will have to wait for another occasion to clinch that experience. In the meantime, what matters most is where LPJ will be in 7 to 10 years' time in the world of classical music. It's a journey that demands mental toughness and ability to meet formidable challenges in addition to extraordinary talent. California's world of music is a veritable whirlpool teeming with cultural eclecticism. There are prestigious centres of performing arts - the Walt Disney Concert Hall opened last year is the home to the Los Angeles Philharmonic whose conductor is Esa-Pekka Salonen; the Davies Hall in San Francisco is the home to the San Francisco Symphony whose conductor is Michael Tilson Thomas. It's also the home of Ali Akbar College of Indian music. And maestro Swapan Chaudhri, who accompanies the likes of Ali Akbar Khan and Ravi Shankar on the Thabla, is in the faculty of North Indian music at the California Institute of the Arts where LPJ is a student. So the opportunities for exposure and interaction as well as the challenges are many for LPJ to gain knowledge, confidence and maturity to become a world-class pianist. LPJ is also blessed in other ways in that he has very supportive and yet unpretentious parents and a closely knit and extensive network of the gracious and diversely successful family of the late Mr. Albert Page. All Sri Lankans will be enthusiastic well-wishers of LPJ for a distinguished career in search of that milestone of excellence which will bring some recognition to Sri Lanka's standing in the world of classical music. As for me, with my firm belief in Louis Page Jnr's potential to be a great pianist, I will dearly hold on to the delightful memories of the special evening at Colombo Plaza. **** Back **** |
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