subject: An Astonishing Compact Disk Of Franz Liszt [print this page] Distinguished with regard to his symphonic tone poems, Hungarian rhapsodies, in addition to a ostensibly a numerous flow of piano music (which includes an ultra-popular set of piano concertos), Franz Liszt is currently recognized to have invested the last twelve years of his lifetime working on the massive oratorio on the life of Poland's patron: Saint Stanislaus, who had been martyred in 1079. Only the foremost and 4th scenes ended up truly completed, nevertheless.
The tracks presented in the CD "Liszt-Modern" by Mehmet Okonsar are: "Fantasie und Fuge uber das Thema B-A-C-H"; "Variationen uber das Motiv von Bach ("Weinen, Klagen, Sorgen, Zagen")"; the two "Legendes"; "Les Jeux d'Eaux a la Villa d'Este", the famous Bagatelle Without Tonality and the two "Csardas" "Macabre" and "Obstine". Additionally, the artist Mehmet Okonsar offers in his official website the two "Threnodies" (from the third year of the "Annees de Pelerinages")
A mesmerizing, electrifying pace and exactness characterizes the particular "Lisztian" octaves. However, they don't seem to be dried up nor mechanical in Okonsar's playing.
In the Belgian pianist from Istanbul, Okonsar's playing the the majority of "flashy" sets of octaves that are normally done as upheavals of a machine-gun, change into orchestral in sound. This really is because of the reason that the pianist and composer Okonsar uses any additional work to do them practically "legato" and they sound like Violins One as well as Two of an orchestral ensemble.
Sets of chords at the same time wear a "legato" and even an orchestral sound. The pianist and composer Okonsar creates that by keeping them nearly as much as one can possibly do, unlike a number of other pianists who attack them and leave for the pedal to supply the sound. The influence of Weissenberg's playing is evident there. Hands are practically "sliding" over the keyboard they do not bump up and hit.
The actual continuity as well as the actual feeling of coherence is without a doubt distinct within The Turkish born Belgian pianist's performances. The compositions accomplished consider form as well as unfold as being a well elaborated history. This is without question caused by an accurate loyalty on the composer's signs and even it is really inherited with the excellent music artists, Mehmet Okonsar experienced the actual advantage of studying with. These people are really Alexis Weissenberg, Jean Claude Vanden Eynden and to some extent Eduardo del Pueyo.
Pedal is never employed to cover imperfections. With Okonsar, pedaling can be occasionally within confines of the harmonic blur, nevertheless, this is often deliberate and it gets promptly apparent. For example: the lengthy recitatives or extremely specific sound effects required by Franz Liszt (i.e. the 3rd. Hungarian Rhapsody the location where the left hand performs a melody in the extreme low register which is mentioned with an elongated pedal sustain) or in the famous passage of the "Tempest" Sonata (op.31 number:2) by Beethoven, the place where a elongated sustained pedal is actually clearly indicated by the composer to offer the particular passage its incomparable sound, are consistently rendered. Also in parts without the need of pedal, the playing is in no way dry.
The Variations and Chorale on the theme by Bach shows how far a composer can embark upon working on a chromatic-only theme.
The theme, which arises from the "basso continuo" of the Cantata from Bach is without a doubt conducted from featuring any soft nuance. The chorale displays virtually a choral sound out of the piano. Okonsar realizes that along with a very evolved finger legato process.
A gentle and fluid touch characterizes the execution of the "Jeux d'eaux" (The Fountains of the Villa d'Este). "A la maniere de Ravel" the composer, conductor and musicologist as well as pianist Okonsar shows some sort of crystalline feel along with great preciseness and lucidity.
The very bonus tracks worth a trip at the artist's recognized home-page. Generously offered there, the two "Threnodies" (Cypres de la Villa d'Este) with the actual number two paraphrasing the main Tristan beginning theme by Wagner are wonderful pieces. They are interpreted together with a deep sensibility by the multi-faceted music artist Okonsar.
Mehmet Okonsar was born in Istanbul (Turkey) and lived in Paris during his primary schooling. He started studying piano at the National Conservatory of Ankara, with Nimet Karatekin and Necil Kazim Akses.
It is in the now famous European capital city of Belgium that Mehmet Okonsar essentially received virtually all, he says "definitely all", musical knowledge.
During this period involving turmoil who had been the 70s in Turkey, Okonsar linked on both friendly and professional basis with a pianist and conductor, ex-student of Pierre Sancan. Via this particular friendship he figured out basic fundamentals of the keyboard principles of Pierre Sancan who was the teacher of pianists like Michel Beroff and the student of Yves Nat.
Even at his very first public appearance in 1979, the particular eclecticism connected with his recital programs to come could be observed. He presented a collection of the Preludes by Messiaen amongst others.
The piano studies of Okonsar finished with all the maximum honors any student can ever get at the Royal Conservatory of Brussels. "Premier Prix avec Distinction", performing the "Dante Sonata" by Liszt as well as "Diplome Superieur de Piano Avec la plus Grande Distinction, Premier Nomme", in 1986, executing the Piano Concerto Op. 42 by Arnold Schoenberg.
At the conclusion of his piano studies, Okonsar acquired the privilege of working with one of the greatest composers of Belgium: Madame Jacqueline Fontyn. He as well studied with a student of Messiaen, Claude Ballif. In 1989 he will get his certifications in Composition-Orchestration from the Royal Conservatory of Music of Brussels.
Alexis Weissenberg, just after listening to a recording by Okonsar invited him (on a scholarship) to study in Switzerland.
Shortly after to become a Belgian national, Mehmet Okonsar and his spouse Lale, painter went back to Turkey following an invitation by the President Suleyman Demirel who provided him the most sought-after title of "State Artist of the Turkish Republic".
"Performing from Turkey is not difficult in our times, thanks to the Internet" affirms the pianist. It is true that he's particularly confident with the computer systems and possesses a very formidable profile on the Internet.
Okonsar is quite active from Turkey where he performs, exercise, compose and also writes. He operates a CD company plus a publishing house.
An initial prize at the International Young Virtuoses Competition of Antwerp in 1982, had been the start of his international career.
Always programming by far the most demanding pieces, Okonsar's orchestral debut had been the 3 rd Concerto by Rachmaninoff performed at the de Singel Concert Hall in Antwerp.
However his real jumping board has been in Utah, the sixth prize at the "Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition", 1991.
The "Academie des Arts Contemporains" of Enghien, Belgium honored him in 1991, for his acoustic and electronic compositions with the Gold and Bronze medals respectively.
His out-of-the-ordinary programs brought the premiere in Turkey of the Concerto for piano by Schoenberg and he also is a great admirer and performer of Lutoslawski.
His experiments on music and technology were presented in a lecture at the Yamaha head office in Hamamatsu, Japan.
Okonsar has executed recitals showcasing the complete piano works by Arnold Schoenberg, Alban Berg and Anton Webern. Despite he refuses many type of "musical specialization", his repertoire is to a great extent on the "modern" side with Igor Stravinsky "Three Movements of Petrouchka" the "Sequenza" for the piano by Luciano Berio and the Klavierstucke by Karlheinz Stockhausen.
The composer, conductor and musicologist as well as pianist Okonsar is a powerful adept of the particular "Free Music" viewpoint. Every one of his audio recordings are typically shared through the main independent composer. This is without question a very brand new state of mind that, according to the particular musician is going to be of large returns to equally the actual artist, the actual launch in addition to the particular classical music sphere.
In the same manner the actual first and foremost video web-site Youtube(r) shows a wide range of the Belgian artist Mehmet Okonsar's performances at the piano video recordings. Normally his CD publications are additionally submitted as video clips into the artist's Youtube(r) channel: mokonsar.
