Iconic masterpieces
Immediacy and Energy
Boris Giltburg will be performing Tchaikovsky’s famous Piano Concerto No. 1 in B flat minor with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen at Klosters Music on 8 August. Georg Rudiger asked him a few questions.
Both your grandmother and your mother are pianists. Neither of them wanted you to learn the piano when you were five years old.
My mother didn’t want me to play any instrument at all! She thought the life of a musician was too difficult and demanding, and felt I should do something else with my life. I didn’t so much convince her as simply pester her for weeks on end, until she gave in and started teaching me.
This year’s theme for Klosters Music is “Icons”. Which composer do you consider an icon?
The ultimate icon for me – and probably my second-favourite composer – is Beethoven. He not only expanded the possibilities of the instrument and of harmonic language, but also our understanding of just how infinitely powerful music can be. He has also shown how it can reveal the deepest emotions of the individual human soul whilst, at the same time, embracing the whole of humanity. And all this using a musical language that is, ultimately, clear and accessible. We’re so familiar with Beethoven that we sometimes lose sight of just how incredible he actually was!
At Klosters Music, you will be performing Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, which is one of the most frequently performed concertos of all time. In your opinion, why has this concerto become such an icon of the musical repertoire?
It may sound surprising, but everything I have just said about Beethoven also applies to Tchaikovsky’s Piano Concerto No. 1, even though it belongs to a completely different musical world. It is incredibly powerful, both in its soundscape and in its emotional impact. The music reflects the joys and sorrows of every human soul in the most sincere and unpretentious way, whilst at the same time presenting a powerful dramatic arc that runs through the entire piece. The music is characterised by immediacy and energy through and through – not a single moment is half-hearted. In addition, there is the extremely striking piano part. And all this is presented in a musical language that is accessible, beautiful, catchy and entertaining – you really couldn’t ask for more!
What do you personally like about this piano concerto? And what would you like to emphasise in your interpretation?
I fell in love with this work because the purity of Tchaikovsky’s soul and the sincerity of his feelings are expressed in every note and every phrase. For me, that is the strongest point of the concerto, far more than the dazzling passages. The work undoubtedly poses a considerable challenge for the pianist, but I think that, ideally, the focus should not be too much on his or her pianistic skill. The same applies to the collaboration with the orchestra. The piano part is without a doubt brilliant and must sound that way when required, but the orchestra is so much more than just an accompanying backdrop or a force to be contended with!
At the start, the theme is in the strings. We’re all familiar with the powerful chords that the piano plays to oppose the melody of the strings. But that wasn’t Tchaikovsky’s original intention at all! In the first version, the chords are arpeggiated and played much more softly, in keeping with the strings’ mezzoforte dynamics. It is only later, when the theme returns after a dramatic piano cadenza, that we hear a glorious triple forte from everyone. Alexander Siloti, however, who assisted Tchaikovsky in revising the concerto, felt that this structure did not give the soloist sufficient prominence at the outset and therefore proposed the now-famous powerful fortissimo chords, which Tchaikovsky adopted. In this case, I prefer the original version and that’s the one I play – it’s much purer, makes more musical sense and brings the piano and orchestra together, rather than pitting one against the other.
You are performing with the Deutsche Kammerphilharmonie Bremen under Edward Gardner. Do you know the orchestra and the conductor?
This is my first collaboration with Edward Gardner, and I am really looking forward to it. I have, in fact, played with the orchestra once before – last time, we performed Shostakovich’s Piano Concerto No. 1. I still vividly remember their incredible energy, passion and dedication. And all of this with the utmost precision and verve! I can’t wait to discover Tchaikovsky’s interpretation with the musicians of this orchestra.
Tchaikovsky often retreated to the countryside to compose. This is your first time performing in Klosters in the Grisons Alps. Does it affect your playing when the concert venue is surrounded by nature?
Perhaps not directly, but in such a beautiful setting, it’s impossible not to feel inspired! I actually played in Klosters once before, back in 2020, and I still remember well the sense of awe that the mountains surrounding Klosters instil. And Tchaikovsky’s music itself is so often reminiscent of nature – just think of the beginning of the second movement!
What are you looking forward particularly about this concert?
I’m looking forward to everything! To the wonderful music, to the fantastic collaboration with passionate colleagues, and to a few days in one of the most beautiful corners of Europe.