This is very humbling for Cecil. She has played with the world's best orchestras and maestros. This is her way of pushing Philippine orchestra companies to step it up. They are so behind. You can tell that she's not satisfied.
I simply love her use of Rubato on this piece, it's so powerful and doesn't grow old. Her rendition here is definitely more mature than her youthful performance of it back when she was a little girl but back then I always get excited when she goes on fire in the last movement. Bravissima Ms Cecile Licad!
Any world class orchestra knows that playing a piano concerto with a world class pianist is not just an accompanying job. The point of a concerto is for the parts of the whole to play each other's organic role in the music. I always feel like Philippine-based orchestras are too meek to take on that task when they are playing with Cecile Licad. Tension has to be a give and take between the soloist and the orchestra. When the soloist is given the brunt of producing the tension during the entire performance, this is what happens. This is a highly measured performance by Cecile, it almost sounded like she was giving a masterclass to the orchestra on the rudiments of playing a concerto.
You are quite right about the orchestra being too sluggish, they almost made me feel bored listening to this and if not for Ceclie's piano reputation preceding her, I would say that she really had a bad performance here. I think Gerard is not up to the task of what you just explained in the context of directing the orchestra in ensemble playing and accompaniment. At the beginning I thought I was listening to an amateur orchestra, and they pretty much made themselves look that way. I'd say this fiasco points to the leadership which is a sign of the conductor's failure to "keep it together".
@7:53, the maestro conductor wasn't paying attention to Ms Licad's running octave passage that she had to momentarily wait for the orchestra before playing the downbeat chord. It's just "one of those nights", I guess. : ]
Miss Licad, I think you were deliberately trying to confuse the orchestra (and the conductor) by changing the tempo at unexpected points in the piece. Naughty, naughty you!! You were making fun of this very weak orchestra! :)
I guess every classical music performer have their moments (maybe even "diva" moments) when confronted with the fact that they aren't performing with a top seeded orchestra with a top ranked conductor. I would surmise that anyone confronted with an orchestra and a conductor such as the one above, would "lose their mind" (and temper). I don't know Ms Licad that well but putting myself in her shoes (with her reputation in mind) I'd probably just "entertain" myself in order to alleviate "the pain" : ) Anyways, most performances I've seen such as that of Rubinstein's with the same concerto, the conductor and soloist tend to agree on "pumping up" the tempo in several places so as to create that tension and build up of virtuosic momentum. The music itself seems to warrant that action. (The only problem I have with this however, is that the soloists tend to take TOO MUCH artistic license into their hands in order to display their unreined virtuosity running up and down the keyboard like wild horses, sometimes disregarding that great moment for an emotional phrase or melodic line). In this respect, I have only good and high regard for Benjamin Grosvenor.
This is very humbling for Cecil. She has played with the world's best orchestras and maestros. This is her way of pushing Philippine orchestra companies to step it up. They are so behind. You can tell that she's not satisfied.
She is a world class concert pianist. She is a Phil national treasure for sure! Bravo, Ms. Licad!
I simply love her use of Rubato on this piece, it's so powerful and doesn't grow old. Her rendition here is definitely more mature than her youthful performance of it back when she was a little girl but back then I always get excited when she goes on fire in the last movement. Bravissima Ms Cecile Licad!
Mesmerizing piece............yet intense. Bravoooo! Cecile Licad
she deserves to be a national artist in music..finest pianist not only in the Philippines but in the whole world!! Fantastic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Any world class orchestra knows that playing a piano concerto with a world class pianist is not just an accompanying job. The point of a concerto is for the parts of the whole to play each other's organic role in the music. I always feel like Philippine-based orchestras are too meek to take on that task when they are playing with Cecile Licad. Tension has to be a give and take between the soloist and the orchestra. When the soloist is given the brunt of producing the tension during the entire performance, this is what happens. This is a highly measured performance by Cecile, it almost sounded like she was giving a masterclass to the orchestra on the rudiments of playing a concerto.
You are quite right about the orchestra being too sluggish, they almost made me feel bored listening to this and if not for Ceclie's piano reputation preceding her, I would say that she really had a bad performance here. I think Gerard is not up to the task of what you just explained in the context of directing the orchestra in ensemble playing and accompaniment. At the beginning I thought I was listening to an amateur orchestra, and they pretty much made themselves look that way. I'd say this fiasco points to the leadership which is a sign of the conductor's failure to "keep it together".
It all depends on how many rehearsal took place then too many rubato can be problematic.
Pardon, too many rubati and not enough rehearsal.
Thanks much for introducing me to this wonderful pianist!
Bravo!!!
Beautifully played ......
Lovely!
@7:53, the maestro conductor wasn't paying attention to Ms Licad's running octave passage that she had to momentarily wait for the orchestra before playing the downbeat chord. It's just "one of those nights", I guess. : ]
saint saëns is a composer to romantic but the "tempo" is must always be the same, you can be romantic but not excessively...
great pianist, but the orchestra was not in sync
How far should the pianist sit from the keyboard? She seems too far.
Lodi
Arthur Rubinstein
Miss Licad, I think you were deliberately trying to confuse the orchestra (and the conductor) by changing the tempo at unexpected points in the piece. Naughty, naughty you!! You were making fun of this very weak orchestra! :)
I guess every classical music performer have their moments (maybe even "diva" moments) when confronted with the fact that they aren't performing with a top seeded orchestra with a top ranked conductor. I would surmise that anyone confronted with an orchestra and a conductor such as the one above, would "lose their mind" (and temper). I don't know Ms Licad that well but putting myself in her shoes (with her reputation in mind) I'd probably just "entertain" myself in order to alleviate "the pain" : )
Anyways, most performances I've seen such as that of Rubinstein's with the same concerto, the conductor and soloist tend to agree on "pumping up" the tempo in several places so as to create that tension and build up of virtuosic momentum. The music itself seems to warrant that action. (The only problem I have with this however, is that the soloists tend to take TOO MUCH artistic license into their hands in order to display their unreined virtuosity running up and down the keyboard like wild horses, sometimes disregarding that great moment for an emotional phrase or melodic line). In this respect, I have only good and high regard for Benjamin Grosvenor.
Who went here because of a MAPEH assignment?
Too bad for the sound quality…
whole world talaga te? hindi naman.. kaw naman, naging pinoy lang, exage agad?
Miss Licad forgot to shampoo her hair before the show -- it looks oily and greasy. Just saying.
this is Asian restaurant style without culture, form, phrases, for beer is Ok...