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Piano masterclass @ Siam Kolkarn Ratchadapisek, Bangkok Thailand (Oct-Nov 2012).

Congratulations to all the students of the masterclass!

Intrigue, loyalty, adultery ,anarchy, and esoteric mysticism. The great “family” of the German Late Romantic period.

(Considerations about a concert held)

Programme note

1) Richard Wagner – Hans von Bülow: Ouverture from Tannhäuser (for 1 piano 4 hands)

Alberto Firrincieli & Giovanni De Cecco: piano

2) Richard Wagner – Giovanni De Cecco: Parsifal. Finale

Giovanni De Cecco: piano

3) Richard Wagner – Franz Liszt: Isolde’s Lovedeath

Giovanni De Cecco: piano

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4) Franz Liszt: Mephisto valzer n.1

Alberto Firrincieli: piano

5) Johannes Brahms: Haydn variations op. 56b (for 2 pianos 4 hands)

Alberto Firrincieli: piano I

Giovanni De Cecco: piano II

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Only rarely do the paths of great men cross, creating a circle of great love and friendship, and at times of bitter hate.

Let’s begin with Hans von Bulow, great piano virtuoso and conductor.

At the age of nine he studied with Friedrick Wieck , father of Clara Schumann, wife of Robert Schumann. At 21 he became a pupil of Liszt, and married Liszt’s illegitimate daughter, Cosima, at 27, more for his devotion to his music master/teacher than for love.

Then he met Wagner and after hearing Lohengrin realised he wanted to become a musician. In 1862 Wagner became the lover of von Bulow’s wife, Liszt’s daughter. Hans von Bulow who, like Liszt, became the conductor of Wagnerian opera, piano transcriber (Tannhauser), and mentor totally devoted to Wagner, accepted the situation, realising that Cosima would be happy with no one else. Wagner married Cosima as late as in 1870, when von Bulow conceded the divorce.

Wagner had already been married to Minna Planner, whom he began to betray in an adulterous relationship with Mathilde Wesendonck. During this love affair Wagner conceived “Tristan and Isolde”, the central theme of this opera being adultery.

The devoted von Bulow, disappointed by his own devotions, will then follow the individualist anarchism of Max Stirner, the philosopher of absolute egoism. Few years before he had had to leave his wife to Richard Wagner, a follower of Bakunin’s socio-anarchism. Wagner will then give up any form of  revolutionary socialism to become a convert to Shopenhauer’s philosophy, approaching Buddhism and Oriental thought. In this he was greatly influenced by Liszt, who encouraged him to abandon revolutionary politics and to dedicate himself totally to music. Liszt himself, the great seducer and lover, will follow a similar path, deciding to become a Franciscan monk in the last years of his life.

Wagner the man, a prophet of socialist altruism in his youth and of mysticism of compassion in adult life (Parsifal), with his irresistible charismatic personality, bent to his will women, musicians, philosophers, founding a sort of religion of his own art, whose temple was in his house in Bayereuth, Villa “Wanfried” (“Peace/freedom from delusion/madness”, in German).

The most anti-semithic musician in history availed himself of many Jewish talents, among whom the great conductor Felix Mottl. After all, in his “incoherent coherence”, he declared: “I decide he who is a Jewish!”

As we have seen, great men can reach the highest peaks of meanness. And thus von Bulow, from  ardent supporter of Wagner, will become the most fervid follower of Brahms, the musician whom the aesthetics of the period had opposed to Wagner. He met him, strangely enough, in 1870, in the same year of his concession of divorce to Cosima and her marriage to Wagner. One worry drives out another!

And here the circle closes with Brahms, the devoted friend (lover?) of Clara Schumann, the wife of Robert Schumann and the daughter of von Bolow’s first music teacher. With her Brahms will perform, for the first time,  his Variations Haydn op 56b for two pianos.

Article from a Thai newspaper

Article from Italian newspaper. English translation: AFTER IRAN

Friulian De Cecco piano professor in Thailand.

Pianist Giovanni De Cecco, 37 years old, from Udine, just back from Iran, where he held a masterclass at Tehran Conservatory, between October and November is now in Bangkok, Thailand, for the first piano masterclass at the European level in that country.

“It is” explains De Cecco “an ambitious project, the first of a long series of concerts, masterclasses and monographic lessons in South-Eastern Asia. It is a 4 weeks’project, which will be attended by students of conservatories and universities from all over Thailand, as well as the Philippines and other neighbouring countries. It will not be just a series of meetings with the Maestro, with lessons on a one-to-one basis. Besides the piano lessons, there will also be lessons on specific subjects, in the style of university monographic courses (Gyorgy Sandor’s didactics, piano transcriptions, Bela Bartok’s pedagogic works)”.
In Thailand it is the first time that a European artist has been involved as a visiting professor in such a large-scale didactic and artistic project.
The Yamaha Siam Kolkarn Ratchadapisek school, run by Director Tanyalux Luangvishut, is the seat of this masterclass, which was organized by the sicilian pianist, harpsicordist and composer Alberto Firrincieli, ambitious pioneer of didactics of music at the European level. Firrincieli, who has been living in Bangkok for years, is the founder of the first harpsichord and ancient music school in Thailand, as well as Professor of counterpoint and history of music in the prestigious Assumption University. With him De Cecco will also perform in several concerts for two pianists (music by Brahms, Liszt and Wagner).

“Thailand” says De Cecco “is a country with an enormous interest in the tradition of the great European classical music. We can say that, if South Korea, Japan and China are already offering a promising piano school which is equivalent to Occidental standards, Thailand is surely the next country which will give us new talents.”

Siam Kolkarn Music School

proudly presents

 

PIANO MASTERCLASS

Maestro Giovanni De Cecco

… in order to promote studies and connections with internationally renowned teachers and to create valuable opportunities for musicians…

Bangkok, 22nd October – 17th November 2012

 

Activities:

  1. 2 hours of individual class per week for each student (8 hours in total) – Class will be scheduled according to availability of students.
  2. 2 hours of group classes per week (8 hours in total) – we will watch and comment videos and other educational documentaries about piano technique, historical performances and  great performers of the past, comparing different recordings and interpretations of the same pieces.
  3. 1 extra collective class held by M. Alberto Firrincieli about harpsichord and piano technique using a real harpsichord.
  4. free entry at De Cecco-Firrincieli duo concert (discount 50% for auditors)
  5. rehearsal and students final concert.
  6. Certificate of attendance.

At the masterclass will be accepted no more than 10 effective students, according to the date of enrolment. Nolimits to auditors

Each effective student will have to prepare a maximum of 3 single piano pieces or 2 sets (sonata or suite). Any Baroque, Classic, Romantic or Modern piece is accepted.

 

When:

The Masterclass will be from 22nd October to 17th November 2012.

 

Location:

Siam Kolkarn Ratchadapisek Music School – Fortune town, underground fl. (MRT Phra Ram 9) – 2 pianos room for individual classes; auditorium for performances and group classes


Deadline for admissions: 31st September 2012

Fee:

Effective students: 15,000 Baht – Auditors students: 1,000 Baht

 

Each effective student must pay 10,000 Baht (not refundable, except in case of  cancellation of the masterclass) before 30th of June and 5,000 Baht on the first day of the masterclass. Cash payment can be made any day to the secretary of the school.

 

Extras:

a)      a personal kit (prepared by M° De Cecco) with educational materials will be provided to each student. Students should communicate the selected music at least 4 weeks before the beginning of the masterclass, in order to let M° De Cecco prepare the kit in advance.

b)      A facebook group will be created for students. A new and immediate way to communicate with the teacher. During and after the masterclass.

c)      A discography and bibliography will be provided to students.


For info please contact  info@albertofirrincieli.it

or call 0875601591

Download the brochure