Displaying items by tag: Composer

If you appreciate classical music and captivating stories about brilliant artists from the past, Hershey Felder’s one-man show, Monsieur Chopin: A Play with Music, is an absolute delight. Felder, an accomplished pianist and composer, has previously wowed audiences with his portrayals of the magnificent music and talents of Irving Berlin and George Gershwin. Now, he turns his attention to the prodigious Polish composer, Fryderyk Chopin, and the result is equally compelling.

Set in post-revolutionary Paris in 1848, Monsieur Chopin runs for an uninterrupted hour and forty minutes. It seamlessly blends theater and concert, with Felder embodying Chopin as he shares personal stories and insights. The audience is transported into Chopin’s salon, where we become students listening to his rehearsals and teachings. Throughout the performance, Felder, still in character, engages in question-and-answer sessions as Chopin, creating an immersive experience that makes theatergoers feel like they are truly in the presence of the master composer.

The staging of the play is elegantly simple, yet haunting. A beautiful grand piano graces the stage accompanied by two candlelit salon tables. The backdrop features projections and archival video from the period, some of which were specially created for this production.

Felder’s talents are commendable. While many actors could portray Chopin or write a script about a famous musician, none can simultaneously play Chopin’s music with the same skill and authenticity as Felder. Conversely, although there may be numerous pianists capable of performing Chopin’s compositions for an hour and a half, none could inhabit the role of Chopin with the emotional depth and believability that Felder achieves.

In the captivating play about Chopin’s life, I discovered several intriguing and often tragic facts that were previously unknown to me, despite him being one of my favorite composers. For instance, Chopin’s renowned ‘Piano Sonata No. 2,’ commonly referred to as the “Funeral March,” was actually composed in response to the death of his younger sister, Emilia. This haunting piece has since become synonymous with funeral music worldwide.

Another revelation was Chopin’s deep affection for the brilliant French novelist George Sand. In the play, Chopin affectionately calls her ‘Madame’ and reveals that she was the true love of his life. Sand’s devotion to him and his music was so profound that she would recline on a chaise lounge directly beneath his piano, allowing her to experience the melodies ‘directly from his heart.’

Furthermore, I learned that Chopin’s musical journey began at an astonishingly young age—he made his debut as a pianist at just seven years old, showcasing his enormous talent. However, as he gained prominence, he grew disillusioned with public performances. Initial reviews criticized him for playing too softly, but the truth was that the enthusiastic upper-class audience drowned out his delicate playing with their chatter.

Monsieur Chopin weaves together many captivating stories, including the tragic childhood loss of his sister, the complexities of his love life, the challenges of safeguarding the women in his life across international borders, and his relentless battle with chronic illness. Sadly, Chopin’s untimely death at the age of 39 resulted from untreated health issues exacerbated by financial struggles. Despite his genius, he struggled to receive proper compensation for his work.

During my interaction with Chopin, I posed the question about the happiness he experienced in his life and whether there was a time when he felt successful and recognized as a genius.

Regrettably, as was often the case, Chopin responded with a resounding ‘No.’ He recounted how, after an initial reception that hailed him as a great talent, he faced subsequent criticism from critics. In response, he shifted away from live performances and instead focused on teaching music—a domain in which he excelled.

Allow me to wholeheartedly recommend this thoughtful, moving, and exhilarating musical theater piece to audiences of all ages. Hershey Felder has once again crafted a historically accurate and captivating portrayal of a brilliant genius brought to life. Throughout the performance, Felder’s intense portrayal, coupled with his remarkable pianistic skill, left the audience yearning for more of his exquisite piano playing.

Monsieur Chopin: A Play with Music, skillfully directed by Joel Zwick, is currently being staged at Writers Theatre until May 12th. For tickets and additional show information, please visit the official website.

Highly recommended.

The immensely talented Hershey Felder’s new solo act, Our Great Tchaikovsky, is the latest in a series of plays about world’s greatest composers and musicians, including Gershwin, Chopin, Beethoven, Bernstein, et al. that span nearly two decades. Directed by Trevor Hay and written by Hershey Felder, the play is being performed at the Steppenwolf’s upstairs theatre.

The play-with-music is a study of Russia’s greatest composer, his secret life and mysterious death. Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky’s music is masterfully woven into the story, as Felder, a classically trained pianist [and impressive singer] plays excerpts of Tchaikovsky’s compositions on stage, from “The Seasons” to “The Nutcracker”, which was conceived while on tour in America, as we learn from the play. Having spent 18 months researching his subject and making the most use of Tchaikovsky’s personal diary and correspondence, Felder paints an intensely intimate image of the composer; his struggles to impress his critics with his compositions while fiercely concealing “who he really was”. Tsarist’s Russia was a notoriously closed-minded and oppressive country, and sexual deviations from “the norm” were not tolerated. And thus, Tchaikovsky spent most of his life feeling deeply ashamed of his homosexuality and fearful that, if found out, he would be sent to Siberia. Composing music was his only outlet for the soul... that and a steady stream of lovers, sometimes dangerously young ones.

Thus, an image of a true artist emerges: hugely talented, largely misunderstood and constantly depressed; a tortured soul. Nevertheless, he “loved everyone and was loved by everyone”, except, perhaps, his critics, who even declared the ballet “The Nutcracker” to be “void of any creativity” when it first came out. Right.

Felder gives Tchaikovsky an upbeat attitude, though the diary entries tell a different story. Having suffered from melancholy his entire life, the composer’s cause of death remains a mystery, despite the fact that Russian authorities insist that he died suddenly at the age of 53 from contracting cholera. Alternative theories include suicide, murder on the orders of the Tsar, and order to commit suicide. Interestingly, Russian authorities also declared that there’s absolutely no evidence whatsoever that Tchaikovsky was homosexual. Some things never change in Russia.

Our Great Tchaikovsky is being performed at Steppenwolf Theatre through May 13^th. For more information, visit www.steppenwolf.org.

Classical Music sounds so much better in person. Music is always better live in my opinion. And hearing magically composed sounds in a hall constructed for the occasion is the icing on the cake. The caliber of the musicians plays a huge part.

Vladimir Spivakov conducted the entire show this past weekend at Orchestra Hall that featured some of Russia’s highly talented musicians working together in a chamber orchestra. A chamber orchestra is a bit different than a symphony orchestra. At times, the music delivered was all strings, violins, violas, cellos and double basses. Some selections had French horn and oboe added.

Spivakov has been a respected musician since the 1960’s. He directed the ensemble with a high level of passion for what he was doing. The dynamics were flat out amazing – something you don’t get with your average Rock band. The softest of piano leads to the loudest of forte, all with a high level of grace.

Another interesting thing about seeing musicians play live is seeing the expression on their faces. Classical Music can on the surface appear stiff. Many might think classical musicians play straight off the page as written. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Yes, the notes are already chosen. Interpretation means a lot. The passion of the performance makes the page come alive. When the players do that, it is amazing.

The performance was divided into two sets. The first was mostly the chamber orchestra. Towards the middle of the set, Danielle Akta joined in on cello. She came out, looking like a kid of fourteen-years-old or so. The emotional intensity knocked the room out. I was watching the four other cellists on stage watching her. Two of them were at least double her age, yet she had their full attention. I can understand why. She took it to another level.

The second set featured Hibla Gerzmava. She is a soprano. It takes a strong voice to fill the hall with a microphone. I know there were mics set up, but I don’t believe they were being used as sound reinforcement. I couldn’t really tell from my vantage point. Having said that, I heard every inflection perfectly. Again, dynamics play a gigantic role in this type of music. It was very theatrical. Hibla at one point was singing to the lead violinist, other times to Spivakov. You can see why a good portion of the great Classical Music out there was written in the Romantic period. It is romantic. Almost, I dare say…erotic. Both Akta and Gerzmava had that quality at times. There was even a bit of humor, too. In a real quiet part of one of the songs sung by Hibla, someone dropped a bottle or something. Everyone heard it, but she kept a straight face. After the piece, she was all smiles.

I was impressed by the Moscow Virtuosi Chamber Orchestra overall. I loved the vibe of the pieces played. There was a playful interaction between performers that truly resonates.

I have heard a lot of amateur chamber orchestras. Violins are very unforgiving in regard to the intonation of the instrument. What a treat it was to hear this group of in-tune stringed instruments. I have also been trying to hear music and not just listen to it. The idea is to listen without analysis, just hear the music. Musicians know this struggle. Sometimes it is easy to forget the joy that art like this brings to our lives. Anyone can be a critic. I would rather be a lover of the arts. From Russia With Love? Yes, I saw that completely.