Emanuel Ax and Yefim Bronfman make powerful piano twosome

Text Size: A | A | A

TROY — Pianist Yefim Bronfman prefers to stay busy.

“I’ve got jet lag,” he said from New York City at the end of October. “The tour [with the Los Angeles Philharmonic] was only eight days, but it was far.”

Within days, he and pianist Emanuel Ax — his longtime friend, colleague and neighbor — would start rehearsing for their 13-city, two-piano U.S. concert tour. It began Nov. 5 in Syracuse and will end Nov. 23 in Virginia. Along the way, they’ll play on Tuesday at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall and on Friday at Carnegie Hall. It is the first time the two men have played a two-piano recital at either hall.

The concept for doing a two-piano tour came about naturally, Bronfman said.

“I’ve known Manny forever, since I was a student,” he said. “And I’ve always done two-piano works throughout my career, first with my teacher and then with some of the greatest pianists in the world. Pianists love to play together.”

First time out

He and Ax first got together officially about 10 years ago to play a short four-city tour. More tours followed and in 2002 and 2005 they recorded compact discs on the Sony label. In 2006, they appeared at the opening gala of the New York Philharmonic in a Mozart Concerto for two pianos that received national television coverage.

“Audiences seem to like it and promoters re-engage us,” Bronfman said.

But where to rehearse? Bronfman and Ax live in the same building in Manhattan and although Bronfman said he owned two pianos, they weren’t in the same room. Fortunately, because both are Steinway artists, the company gave them the pianos and the space to rehearse for about five hours a day before the tour. The Juilliard School also gives them rehearsal space, he said. Once they’re on tour, they put in another two hours before each concert to check the balances.

“Every piano is different, and each sounds differently. We try to match qualities. We want to sound like one piano,” Bronfman said.

As for the repertoire, there’s no dearth of that.

Plenty to play

“It’s considerable and it’s fabulous,” he said, adding that on occasion they also do four-hand piano works in which they share a piano stool to play one piano.

They mutually agreed about a year ago on what to play for this tour. Bronfman and Ax will perform Brahms’ Variations on a Theme by Haydn, which they recorded in 2005 and is a good piece to open with, he said, and Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances.

“It’s been 10 years since we’ve played the Rachmaninoff and we wanted to take a second look,” Bronfman said.

Two of the works are new to Bronfman: William Bolcom’s “Recuerdos or Three Traditional Latin-American Dances” and Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos in D Major.

“I’d played Bolcom’s works before and he’s a very nice person,” Bronfman said. “These are wonderful dances and thematically they connect to the Rachmaninoff. They’re a lot of fun.”

He’ll know everything from memory, but Bronfman said he prefers to use the music under these circumstances.

It’s not often that two such high-caliber solo pianists, both Grammy Award winners, would find a sympathetic balance playing together. Bronfman attributes that to both of them being devoted to chamber music and to a collaborative attitude with fellow artists, he said. Even if they have a different approach, they can make things work.

“We’re similar but different. We adjust to different styles instantly,” he said.

Furthermore, Bronfman views any performance as a gift.

“I never get tired of doing the same program night after night and never take it for granted,” he said. “Every concert is special and important. It’s because of the music. That’s my priority and probably his.”

He said he and Ax take these performances very seriously but they also make sure to have a good time.

“He’s very enjoyable to play with. We’re having a lot of fun,” Bronfman said.

Crowded schedule

The two-piano tour fits into an otherwise jam-packed schedule that has both of them this season traveling internationally to perform as soloists with orchestras or in solo recital tours.

Master classes are frequently part of the international package and Ax slips in a few private students when in New York City.

Although audiences at the Saratoga Performing Arts Center have seen Ax each of the past few summers, Bronfman has been absent. One summer he took off after an exhausting year and the next summer he couldn’t make it because of scheduling.

“Maybe they didn’t invite me,” he said teasingly. “Maybe I need a visa to come.”

---

Get ALL of our news...Click here to subscribe to our online edition, a complete replica of our print edition.

---

comments