Saidenberg Faculty Recital: Seymour Lipkin

Yesterday evening I arrived outside Juilliard more than an hour early to join the waiting line for pianist Seymour Lipkin's recital at Paul Hall.  This was a rare chance to hear the celebrated master in an SRO performance that included Mozart's Piano Sonata No. 17 in D, K. 576, Schubert's Piano Sonata in A, D. 959, George Perle's Short Sonata and Beethoven's Piano Sonata No. 32 in C minor, Op. 111.

All these pieces are extremely complex and would present great challenges to any pianist attempting them.  Mozart's sonata was his last and contains such technical difficulties that there has been controversy among scholars as to whether or not the work could really have been one of the series intended for the daughter of William II, King of Prussia, to whom Mozart had promised "six easy sonatas."  The Schubert was written in the final months of the composer's short life and has often been described as "turbulent." In the second movement there are extreme harmonic shifts as Schubert made use of the music to confront his own mortality.  Finally, the Beethoven is again a valedictory work that represents the composer's ultimate achievement in the sonata form.  It is also one of the few he wrote with only two movements rather than the customary three.

In yesterday's recital, Mr. Lipkin triumphed over the difficulties posed by his material to present readings that must be considered as close to definitive as are possible.  The pianist, a member of the faculties of both Juilliard and the Curtis Institute, has long familiarity with these works.  He has recorded not only the complete cycle of Beethoven sonatas but also the composer's five concertos, ten violin sonatas and five cello sonatas as well.  In addition, Mr. Lipkin has recently performed the complete cycle Schubert's sonatas.

Mr. Lipkin's appearance did not proceed without drama.  In the first half, after a brief pause while playing the second movement of the Schubert sonata, the pianist apologized to the audience and announced that he needed the music for that piece.  He went backstage to retrieve the score and then continued on.  In the second half, during the final movement of the Beethoven, the recital was interrupted by a fire alarm and everyone was forced to leave the building for several minutes.  Undeterred, both audience and pianist returned and Mr. Lipkin replayed the second movement in its entirety.  In spite of these inconveniences, this was a major performance by an artist who must be considered one of the greatest living pianists.  Again and again, he demonstrated his mastery of the keyboard  and provided a new level of insight to the audience.  He well deserved the standing ovation he received at the recital's end.