Sunday 4 February 2007

Sunday morning

I'm listening to a CD of Dinu Lipatti playing Bach, Mozart, Scarlatti and Schubert. It is a total pleasure. He has a rare lightness and delicacy of touch; he charms without sentimentality and his selflessly superb technique lets you absorb every note of the music, which is played with great feeling but without an intrusion of himself. So many musicians let you know that it is them who matters most, not the piece being played.

Until recently, he was only a name to me. I knew that he was a pianist who died young and that was all. Until I was given a Mountain Goats CD for Christmas, on which Dinu Lipatti's Bones is one of the tracks, so I looked him up and ordered a disc, which includes some Schubert from his last recital. He was dying and knew it, and the piece is played as if he's without a care in the world.

I took a few photos yesterday of early spring flowers in the garden. I'd say winter flowers, but the birds think it is spring and it does feel like it. Anyway, I'll post them later.

7 comments:

heybartender said...

Wow. I hope my Sunday is half as lovely. For now, it's still Saturday night in our house because I have yet to go to sleep. Enjoy the rest of your day!

Z said...

Hi Bartender - you recommended Okkervil River to me, months ago. I looked them up, but only just got around to ordering one of their CDs the other day. I'll let you know how I like it.

Good night!

Anonymous said...

Just noticed three different Camellias are blooming- managing to hide their flowers behind the leaves as usual.
Turkey twizzlers for lunch?

Anonymous said...

for OAT read PAT

Monozygote said...

Have you got an amazon associates link z?

I'd buy that cd if I thought you'd get a commission - you've sold me on it now.

Z said...

Oh, don't Pat - Holton is only a few miles down the road. I've never bought a Bernard Matthews product in my life, but he's an important local employer, so ethics and practical loyalties divided.

I did wonder who Oat was. Funny, the difference one letter makes!

Dandelion, I haven't got an amazon link, but I do recommend the CD if it's the sort of thing you like. It's Dinu Lipatti-Piano Recital, but there's also a CD of his last recital, which I've read is quite wonderful and I will be buying next.

Z said...

No camellias in this garden, by the way, Pat - the soil is all wrong for them. Let's hope you don't get a frost.