The following is an interview with Hiroshi Arimori, pianist and professor at Tokyo University of the Arts and Music. It was conducted at the “Lecture Concert: Symphonies by Haydn and Scriabin” on Friday, August 5, 2022@Sympony Salon. “What is the significance of performing Scriabin’s symphonies with a piano ensemble? It is quite a rare repertoire to play Scriabin’s symphonies with the piano four-hands, isn’t it? Could you tell us what your thoughts are behind this?” Arimori: “This year, 2022, is an...

On Sunday, June 25, I traveled to Hamamatsu to listen to Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 by Gadjiev. Chopin wrote two concertos for piano when he was young that have contrasting characteristics. The first is more technical, flamboyant, and larger in scale, and many of the techniques tested in the twelve pieces of the Op. 10 etudes are used there. In those days, the main purpose of piano concertos was to showcase the virtuosity of the piano. His No. 1...

I went to Sergey Babayan’s recital at the Tokyo Spring Festival @ Ueno Bunka Kaikan Recital Hall on March 29, 2022. The program was full of a heavyweight of pianistic works of the Romantic era, including Bach (arranged by Busoni) and Schubert (arranged by Liszt). The performance seemed to me to focus on the romantic feeling by, among others, emphasizing low and dark tones. All of the performances were very interesting and persuasive, but it was Rachmaninoff that was the...

I went to a concert of Chopin’s Nocturnes by Kun Woo Paik at Oji Hall, Tokyo. Chopin’s Nocturnes are generally thought of as sentimental and sensual music that somehow lacks depth. However, Kun-Woo Paik’s Chopin Nocturnes have a unique world that seems to sink and resonate deep within the listener’s heart. A rather small piece of music that lasts only several minutes would have tremendous scope. In addition, he played the delicate melody with a touch that treated each note...

​I went to a concert of Rachmaninoff’s piano and orchestra works with three pianists at Suntory Hall. The orchestra was the Tokyo Symphony Orchestra under conductor Koji Kawamoto. The highlight of the evening was Henri Barda’s performance of the third piano concerto. I had been worried before the performance that the 80-year-old veteran might not be able to play this long and difficult piece in a technically satisfactory manner, but I was completely wrong. I don’t think I have heard...