Maestro and Me (at the Greene Space)
Recently my job took me to The Green Space, a New York Public Radio performance studio in Tribeca. I was there to stream or as Steinway & Sons like to call it; “Spiriocast” a performance by Yannick Nézet-Séguin (See Steinway literature for an explanation of this streaming feature.) I had no expectations. I was told that he was the celebrated music director of the Metropolitan Opera and to use “Maestro” when addressing him. I was so surprised when he walked in the door, he looked more CrossFit instructor than an orchestra conductor, I guess I was expecting less hair and more stomach, not to mention he was very personable.
The Maestro warmed up and rehearsed his introductory lines to the camera, though he seemed very comfortable, like no practice was necessary. He talked to his assistant for a second, changed into his stage clothes and we were ready to go.
Cameras on, Spirio plugged in, Yannick recounts his expereince during the pandemic. “My piano teacher from the age of 13 to 22 in Montreal, Anisia Campos passed away during the pandemic. And it was a very emotional time for me to reconnect with all the pieces and all the original sheet music that I used as a student. And from this came, Introspection, an album I recorded for Deutsche Grammophone, which are pieces I really grew up with and shaped me as a musician and a conductor.”
Yannick Nézet-Séguin
First up was La cathedrale engloutie by Debussy. The music is known for its ethereal and dreamlike qualities, depicting a cathedral that is submerged beneath the sea.
I was taken with the Maestro’s playing and wasn’t prepared for the depth he would bring to the performance. His phrasing and timing were spot on, of course, but it was his great sensitivity that moved me the most. So captivated as I stood behind the camera, I had a hard time concentrating on my task at hand. He had me; I was mesmerized. As the last chord quietly resonated into the ether, all of us in the studio knew we were witnessing something special.
Yannick introduced the next piece, the slightly obscure Fantasia in C minor by Mozart. “My teacher Anisia Campos said, ’that everything Mozart wrote was operatic. And for a boy of 13 year old, I didn’t know exactly what she meant.’ ” Yannik goes on to say, “It’s a surprising piece because Mozart rarely went in this territory, which I can say is preparing Beethoven, why?.. C minor, the favorite key of Beethoven, which was so significant for him…and this Fantasia in C minor by Mozart can really be said that is the most dramatic piece he’s ever written.”
From the crescendo of the first chords to the flawless final run, Mozart’s revelations are revealed, but there is more to it than that. The Maestro plays with such ease and confidence, you may not notice how he moves effortlessly through the complex stucture and numerous key shifts. The sound he creates in the room is so seductive that you might forget the impeccable technique you are witnessing. I found myself lost again in the music and thought I had joined a secret club who’s common bond was this performance.
Finailly, Yannik tells us “ When I used to play this Children’s Corner from Debussy, I didn’t realize all of this nostalgic quality. Of course, I didn’t have much to be nostalgic about. Now, of course, at 47 years old, I have much more to be nostalgic and especially those times at the end of the lesson for years, Madam Campos would ask me, oh, please play Little Shepherd, please. She wanted this as a little present at the end. I now play it for you as a little present for the end.”
Genuine innocence and melancholy dances off the Maestro’s touch. His connection becomes our connection and we are transported to Madam Campos’ studio where child Yannick is delighting his teacher. We all get a proverbial pat on the head and sent on our way, better than when we arrived.
