# Antonín Kubálek



## hemidemisemiquaver

> ...He received three standing ovations following his performance in the Rudolfinum at the 2002 Prague Spring Festival. In November 2002, Kubálek was recognized by the Czech Music Council with a UNESCO honorary award. His exceptionally wide repertoire contained Czech and Canadian music, including contemporary pieces; but also romantic works by Chopin, Schumann, and especially Brahms, for which he is considered to be *one of the foremost performers of recent times*.


(Source: Wikipedia)

I totally agree with what they say about exceptionally wide repertoire, and I would add 'tasteful' to that: one of his CDs, _My Gift to You: Piano Encores_ (1996) contains pieces by Prokofiev, Debussy, and Grieg - these are composers I absolutely adore and you see how eclectic this selection is. Add to that Chopin, Liszt and Rachmaninoff, and there still will be place for the second prime minister of Poland, the most notorious egg-thrower in the world and one of the greatest pianists who never played above mezzo-forte!..

Talking about _Hindemith, Janáček, & Martinů_ (1972), not only its cover is amazing, tracklist is again three standing ovation-worthy - both Hindemith and Janáček are great. First managed to compose a sonata for double bass and piano, not being jazz composer, and brothers Quay shot a stop motion film about life of second featuring a guest-starring giant grasshopper (given that overgrown insects' mode of life was depicted by Kafka better than anybody, it doesn't seem any strange that Janáček and him had a mutual friend Max Brod).

Here's what Jaromir Kritz, a music critic, said about Kubálek's performance of Hindemith's Suite for Piano:



> It was profoundly and sensitively perceived musical expression, that could have hardly been developed by another pianist. We heard music of utmost perfection, beauty and breadth of sound.


...and here's an excerpt from the Glenn Gould Foundation website:



> After hearing Kubalek and learning of his plight, Gould sent Kubalek a generous cheque, and subsequently "wrote on Kubalek's behalf to the Royal Conservatory of Music and advised him on concert management - *all of this before meeting him in person*."
> 
> The two later worked together in 1973, Gould serving as producer for a recording that featured Kubalek playing the piano music of Erich Wolfgang Korngold. Executive Director of The Glenn Gould Foundation and co-founder of the music label Dorian Records, Brian Levine noted that "*this was the only time Gould ever did this for another pianist*."


It's a pity that these are postmortem words... Kubálek died four months ago.

Rest in Peace.


----------

