Customer Reviews

Bach and Beyond - Gabriela Montero

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I struggle for the words to express how thrilled I am. Ms Montero is resurrecting the art of spontaneous improvisation in the field of classical music. Robert Levine, the Amazon site reviewer, hopefully has listened to the NPR interviews or the podcast and is now aware that Ms Montero did indeed improvise these on the spot. The only preparation lies in the fact that Gabriela Montero has been playing in this spontaneous way since before she was 3 years old! She was given a toy piano when she was 7 months and soon started picking out the songs her mother sang her to sleep with. Her talent today truly is astonishing! Give her a tune or theme never heard before, and she magically weaves a new piece out of it. We have read of Bach, Handel, Mozart, Beethoven, Gershwin all doing this -- it's a wonder and a fresh delight to hear how marvellously she does it for us. Kudos!

It's an often neglected fact that Bach, Mozart and Beethoven were master improvisers, and I often wonder how they would feel about 'classical music' having become so exclusively addicted to reproducing the notes on the page. It seems that the latter of the three important legs of a musician's stool -- technique, interpretation, and improvisation -- has been forgotten in lieu of endless variation on the former two legs.

Efforts like Ms. Montero's (e.g. Walter/Wendy Carlos' S-OB, Corea/McFerrin's Mozart Sessions, Keith Jarrett) seem generally received by the cognoscenti as a bit of an oddity, falling outside established parameters of classification. But to the degree that music should incorporate spontaneity, Ms. Montero's prodigious talent shines a bright light in a dark corner of a musical genre in desperate need of being revitalized. This is a wonderful effort not to be missed -- musician or music lover should delight -- as I believe the Masters would -- at spontaneous creativity being breathed into these masterworks.

Congratulations to Gabriela Montero for develop a great experience and enjoy on some Bach themes, excellent fluid improvisations. Not only an Excellent Piano player but a great musician Gabriela is. I think we like to hear more new music creations than more interpretations. I hope to enjoy more music creations like this CD from Montero and from others with this amazing talent.

This CD is the best one of the year for me. I've been singing Bach's choral music for 40 years. I never tire of the 'ol guy's works; they've become part of my soul and brain. Hearing Gabriela's amazing improvisations, makes them dance anew in totally "right" ways.

Try sitting still during Track 9 Two Part Invention in D Minor. I can't! Bach to a Latin beat...just love it.

You'll feel that track and all the others move you right up and past Bach's originals.

I was incredulous saying, "Who's THAT?!"
Can wait to see her in concert.

Bach was known to be at the very top echelon of improvisers; not only was he fond of playing around with his own tunes but he was also known to have borrowed a lick or two from his contemporaries. I have no doubt that he would have enjoyed, if not have been stunned by, the similar efforts of this pianist, Gabriela Montero. This pianist is a very nice techician with lovely lyrical gifts. Her reworkings of some of Bach's most famous tunes range from very close "inhabitings" of Bach's pieces (Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring), to some rather tangental takes on them (Air in G). However, it seems clear that she always undertakes the improvisations with great reverence and humility. Surely in this last trait, she is worthy to ride on Bach's legacy. I particularly enjoyed her infusions of Argentinian rhythms and sensibilities (tango, gaucho) to her reworkings. Repeated listening produces only slightly diminished results. In large part, I began to enjoy the pieces for themselves, not merely as dependants of their originals. I really only have two quibbles with the CD. First, her own piece called 'Beyond Bach' seems more like Bach than beyond him. The title does rattle me for it seems a bit presumptious and not in keeping either with the humility of her playing or her liner notes. Second, Montero's endings to her improvisations never seem to convince me. Her timid exits surely do not follow in the keystrokes of her mentor, the pianist Martha Argerich, one of the best in the business. All in all, minor quibles. In lieu of actually seeing and hearing this pianist at work, this is an enjoyable CD from a young pianist of whose rare gifts we should all take note.

This is compositional improvisation at the highest possible level - stunning - with everything that music is or is supposed to have: the highs, the lows, the emotions, the amazingly transparent technical ability. Not only is she a brilliant performer of such composers as Chopin, Bach, Debussy, Granados and some of the modernists like Prokofiev, but she has entirely absorbed the musical idiom of each one and can call upon it at will in dazzling fashion. I listen to a lot of everything and I am completely blown over with her depth of expression and transcendent musical ability. I have been listening to this CD for the entire weekend and it is recorded well in every respect, from the capturing of the sound of the piano to the spontaneous performances themselves. The highest compliment I can pay her is this: her talent is such that she could make a skeptic believe in God; her many hours of practice aside, I truly believe that's the only place where her amazing musical and compositional gift could possibly come from; for she has said herself that it is not filtered through the mind. I hope to hear her live when I have the chance. What a musical discovery...a treasure.

Let me start by saying I'm VERY picky about my Bach, and while I'm not one of those who object to modern instruments, I do generally object to modern interpretations (like Jacques Loussier); particularly those who over-embellish, have poor tone or who speed up tempos so they appear selfish super-virtuosos, completely ignoring the composers intent. Bach's works are perfect, and the emotional and intellectual content is there on the page in those little black dots. With Ms. Montero's interpretations, I can still feel the Bach in the music. It still moves me. You get the distinct impression that she feels as reverantly towards Bach as I do, and her music doesn't give the impression of a showy virtuoso trying to make a name or a statement. It's honest and from the heart, like someone with a talent for improv is playing Bach and is so moved they don't want it to end so they start inventing parts, but never corrupting the intent of the original.

I used to feel only the performer who was willing to sacrifice personal style in complete service to the music could succeed in interpreting Bach. Ms. Montero has proven that as long as the music is approached with love, respect and imagination, a performer can improvise on Bach and still have the soul of Bach shine through and not have it be overshadowed by that of the performing artist. Listening to the two Adagios in particular, I can imagine Bach smiling warmly, maybe thinking of a theme based on an improvisation by Gabriela Montero.

I have her CDs playing in my car and in my home. Her improvisation skills are top notch. Beyond Bach is one of my favorite pieces in this collection. Her other pieces are excellent as well. You can also find her interview on NPR.

After our son's piano teacher loaned us a copy of this CD, we fell in love with it. All too often, when even a very accomplished musician "reinterprets" an icon like Bach, the resultant hybrid music comes off sounding dumbed-down, corny, or just plain awful. But Ms. Montero largely pulls it off. Like the French jazz demigod Jaques Loussier, Montero knows when to depart from ancient texts in interesting, minor-chord ways that are seldom trite, and without obliviating the original work. What she does with "Jesu, Joy of Man's Desiring," for instance, turns a hackneyed standard into fresh new ear candy.
If there's a weak spot on this disc its Montero's loose impression of the Goldberg Aria, itself surely among the most beautiful piano pieces ever written, so I was a little disappointed that she didn't cleave closer to Bach's poignant melody. Also, if you believe "messing with" the classics is akin to heresy, this disc is not for you. But if you're open to the audio flights of young genius, there are enough sweet spots on this CD to make it well worth the price.

Intriguing classical improvs -- great virtuosity, somewhat angular jazz feel, not exactly easy listening, but stimulating for the concentrated listener. Those who like the overall concept should check out Ken Pedersen's 1999 Deja Views, which also takes well known classical tunes as a jumping off point. His take is more meditative and 'new age,' it held a top five position on the NAV New Age charts for six months. Compare the 'Jesu' here with his 'Jeus'-inspired track #3 to get a feel for the difference.