Piano
Young Israeli pianist Itai Navon, who studied with Sir András Schiff at the Barenboim-Said Akademie, makes his solo debut at the Pierre Boulez Saal performing a program framed by two major compositions of the Classical and Romantic repertoire: Beethoven’s A-major Sonata Op. 26 and Brahms’s Handel Variations. The recital also includes works by Leoš Janáček and Béla Bartók as well as Sine Nomine by Israeli composer Mordecai Seter, written in 1973.
As an alumnus of the Barenboim-Said Akademie, what thoughts and challenges are on your mind as you prepare for your solo debut at the Pierre Boulez Saal?
I’ve often played in the hall during Academy Concerts, and also as a member of the Boulez Ensemble, so I know the space quite well. It’s always very exciting to be surrounded by the audience. The atmosphere created here is truly special for me. Even when I attend other concerts as a listener, I love the closeness between audience and performers, something you don’t find often in other places. The size of this hall is ideal for piano recitals or chamber music. I’m very much looking forward to this concert—playing here is one of the most exciting opportunities. I’ve been preparing for it for quite some time now.
As an alumnus of the Barenboim-Said Akademie, what thoughts and challenges are on your mind as you prepare for your solo debut at the Pierre Boulez Saal?
I’ve often played in the hall during Academy Concerts, and also as a member of the Boulez Ensemble, so I know the space quite well. It’s always very exciting to be surrounded by the audience. The atmosphere created here is truly special for me. Even when I attend other concerts as a listener, I love the closeness between audience and performers, something you don’t find often in other places. The size of this hall is ideal for piano recitals or chamber music. I’m very much looking forward to this concert—playing here is one of the most exciting opportunities. I’ve been preparing for it for quite some time now.
How did you come up with the program, and what is the underlying idea behind these pieces? Several of them have quite a specific background…
When I was planning the program there were two themes that interested me. One is variations. In the Beethoven Sonata, the first movement opens with variations, which is quite unusual. I’m also playing Brahms’s Handel Variations and Bartok’s Improvisations on Hungarian Songs. These are not variations in the strict sense, but they’re based on short folk tunes that are incorporated into the music and developed in interesting ways, so there’s an element of variation as well. The second theme, which unfortunately is far too relevant these days, is death. In the Beethoven, the third movement is a funeral march—“on the death of a hero”—which is unique in his works. Janáček’s Sonata was written in response to the violent killing of a worker during a demonstration. It originally had a third movement, which, according to what we know now, was a funeral march, but shortly before the first performance of the Sonata Janáček decided to leave it out.
There’s also a piece by Israeli composer Mordecai Seter. Tell us about that.
Including Mordecai Seter in the program was essential to me to represent an Israeli composer who was one of the most important figures among the first generation of musicians in Israel. This piece, Sine nominee, is typical of his late works from the 1970s, which were mostly written for smaller ensembles and solo piano. Their titles may seem abstract, but he gives very imaginative, poetic performance instructions. For example, on the first page there’s a note that the music should sound like walking in a funeral procession. So there’s a direct link to the death theme. I had initially put together a completely different program, but since the events of last October I felt that it might not be right to play what I had chosen. It’s very personal. I also included variations that are more optimistic, but the funeral aspect, even if it seems quite heavy, was important to me. This program is my response to the current situation.
What are some of the technical challenges?
When a composer writes variations, often the intention is to develop different ideas or discover what can be done with the instrument. That’s especially true in the Brahms, but also in the first movement of the Beethoven Sonata. Brahms explores different possibilities and a variety of forms, and although the focus isn’t on virtuosity, some variations are very technically demanding. Each variation is relatively short, which requires quick adjustments of the mood and the sound. Janáček’s piece, on the other hand, is not as technically challenging. The music is not virtuosic, although he often writes a little awkwardly for the piano. Janáček is a completely unique composer, and the emotional element of his music is absolutely crucial for the interpretation. The piece is only 13 minutes long, but it’s incredibly compact and emotionally charged.
Mordecai Seter was a pianist himself, but he wrote in a way that’s almost the opposite of virtuosity. Most of this piece is very slow-paced. The first movement resembles a funeral procession, with an ostinato in the left hand that creates a very meditative atmosphere. The right hand plays a slow melody that develops while the left remains constant. I would say the first movement is not necessarily very pleasant music to listen to, but rather it creates a great sense of distress. Out of this comes the second movement, which by contrast has more distinct melodic lines and is livelier. It’s also contrasted by its contrapuntal polyphony—Seter uses imitations and invertions between the voices. The last movement starts in the high register and slowly descends almost to the lowest note on the piano, and then ends with a return to the initial idea of the first movement.
You studied with Sir András Schiff at the Barenboim-Said Akademie and also participated in a series of master classes with Daniel Barenboim. What are some of the most important things you learned from them?
András Schiff was my teacher here for four years, and I now study with him at the Kronberg Academy. He’s my mentor and a major influence on the way I play. Of course I learned a lot in his lessons, but also from listening to his concerts and to the way he talks about music. And it’s just as interesting to watch him teach other pianists. Performing in front of your fellow students can be stressful, but it’s an incredibly valuable experience. Through all of this I gained a lot of insights into my own playing, into focusing on the sound itself and understanding the musical structure.
Being part of the masterclasses with Daniel Barenboim was a real privilege. We focused on three Beethoven sonatas, including the one that I now perform. He makes you understand how to really read a score and pay attention to all the details, how to truly make sense of it. And with all his experience as a conductor he’s even more precise in explaining what he means. Working with him was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Interview: Wioleta Zochowska
