Garrick Ohlsson - it Doesn’t Get Any Better!
Last night, The Anchorage Concert Association presented Garrick Ohlsson - one of the world’s finest pianists and hands down, my absolute favorite. The concert was magnificient:
- Beethoven’s Pathetique: You have never heard the Pathetique played so true to the music yet is such a stunningly original manner.
- Brahm’s Variation and Fugue on a Theme by Handel: I was not familiar with this piece. But wow, what a tour de force. Ohlsson was mesmerizing.
- Nocturne #8 by Lowell Lieberman: Wonderful (and accessible) modern piece.
- Chopin Nocturne in C Minor: Simply beautiful
- Prokofiev Sonata #7 in B Flat: The last movement of this piece was my favorite of the entire evening. So incredibly percusive and fiendishly difficult. But then again - I adore the 20th Century Russians.
I first saw Garrick in 1991 when he performed the complete set of Chopin’s Etudes. That concert, here in Anchorage was the most memorable solo recital I’ve ever attended. That evening, I morphed into a huge Garrick Ohlsson fan. It’s been 15 years since that performance and I was wondering if perhaps I’d sort of embellished the memory over the years. Well, not one iota. I have never ever seen a performer consume and own the piano like Ohlsson. He’s a large man - 6′ 4″ - more of a middle linebacker than a concert pianist. When he sits down, he just inhales the piano and he and the instrument become one. Not only he does he inhale the piano, he also melds with the audience. He builds a relationship with the audience like no other performer I’ve ever seen. He doesn’t joke or schmooz with the audience. He just incorporates us into the performance. I have no idea how it’s done, but as an audience member, you feel like you too were key to the performance. Wow!
o.k. - I know I’m over the top on the gushing front….
But wait, there’s more. Peter and I hosted the after concert reception at the Ski Boy-Slat Rat Manse!!!!!! Pictures are below:
Me and Garrick. I might have mentioned that he’s a big guy!
The living room crowd. I’d say we had about a hundred people attend the reception. It was packed.
Cheri - my best friend.
And it just wouldn’t be an Alaska party without the pile of coats and shoes at the door.
Hello. I am 
Sounds like fun for sure.