Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 35

Gianni Truvianni's "New York's Opera Society" Chapter 35

My mother who upon entering had an announcement to make and in that voice she used when she wanted to get the attention of a whole room let out "Gosia, it is your turn now that we have heard Tchaikovsky to play Chopin, I have told Mr. James Levine here a lot about your ability to play Chopin, so let's not keep the crowd waiting and please play something by Chopin for not only James but for the rest of us.". It is strange how my mother's words on many on occasion worked like an order that was followed without question or hesitation, as they were in this case by all of us who filled out of the room like students leaving a classroom when a bell rings.

When we got to the music room Gosia took her seat at the piano to play the same piece she had played for us the first night she had come over to our apartment. I knew that her playing had gone up and was almost up to the standard one needed to have to impress people like James Levine and the rest of our guests. This in many ways was a pressure moment for Gosia. She was going to be playing for people she knew would be more than willing to help her in the future if her playing was to their liking.

She really needed to come up with a great performance and not only for the above mentioned reason but also because of all the other students who had also given truly dazzling performances. There had been the girl from Japan whose interpretation of Tchaikovsky had amazed everyone who witnessed it (me not being one of them as I had only heard her playing from the family room) for not only its technical perfection but for the energy and emotion that had gone into it. Gosia, also was aware that on this evening she was going to be followed by a piano player from Moscow who was in his final year of his studies and was going to be playing Rachmaninov's 3rd piano concerto. A piece that is arguably the most difficult piece of music ever written for the piano. Mother had picked this piano player from Russia, whose name was Vladimir Ivanchenko because she felt he was the most promising player she had heard in years. So, it is easy to see why Gosia was going to be playing under a lot of stress. This however is what it is all about; being able to come up with one's best when one needs it the most.

On that evening Gosia turned in a performance to remember, she really played perfectly and as far as I could see. Of course it is hard for me to judge a piano player; me not being one but she hit every note just right. After which came the part of the show I think most people had been waiting for and I could see why. It can be stated without a shadow of a doubt that this man from Russia was a true marvel of the piano. I had never seen piano playing done like that. Gosia was good and someday who knows she might be on that level but for the time being even she had to accept that Vladimir was in another league. My mother had told me that he in many ways reminded her of the great master, Vladimir Horowitz and after seeing him play I could see what had led not only my mother but many others to the same conclusion.

He of course given the length of Rachmaninov's 3rd piano concerto did not play all of it but one of the movements though I do not recall which one. Holding his audience in total astonishment from the first key his masterful hands tickled to the last. His playing was something I could describe as making the notes come alive which made the senses do the same. Once I heard Arturo say that he felt that all music was dance music; the only difference being that some music was intended to make the body move while others were designed to make the emotions take flight to its harmonies and this is precisely what his playing was doing to not only me but the rest of us who could not help but being overwhelmed.

His playing had been such that we were still in awe for several seconds. Almost a full minute had gone by after he had finished and we were still standing around looking at each other, as if afraid to break the silence. It was like one of those parties where every couple wants to dance but none want to be the first to get on the dance floor and it was not till my mother started applauding that the rest of us started doing the same. _

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