# Garrick Ohlsson



## hreichgott

New Garrick Ohlsson fangirl here after hearing him play at Tanglewood. Prokofiev piano concerto #3. He is now tied for best Prokofiev pianist I have ever heard live (tied with Peter Serkin).

How does one describe an excellent performance in words? Maybe the best I can do is to say that it is like experiencing a picture in only two dimensions for years without realizing it, and then one day the figures in the picture get out of the canvas and start walking around the room and talking to you. That was what today's Prokofiev was like.


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## moody

hreichgott said:


> New Garrick Ohlsson fangirl here after hearing him play at Tanglewood. Prokofiev piano concerto #3. He is now tied for best Prokofiev pianist I have ever heard live (tied with Peter Serkin).
> 
> How does one describe an excellent performance in words? Maybe the best I can do is to say that it is like experiencing a picture in only two dimensions for years without realizing it, and then one day the figures in the picture get out of the canvas and start walking around the room and talking to you. That was what today's Prokofiev was like.


He's a marvellous pianist and not appreciated on these pages.


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## PetrB

Ohlsson is a brilliant musician, and in both his musical delivery and technique the complete antithesis of flashy. He has great resource of power which is never used to excess but results in a fullness of tone in every dynamic level. In our current time, where more flash is consumed than ever before, his ability and approach, and musical integrity do not draw the audience who are more readily lured in by overt displays.

This musician serves music, the composer and the score.

I have not heard him playing Prokofiev, but imagine it has the same equal measure of both unbridled passion coupled with severe musical intelligence as found in his complete recordings of all of Chopin's piano music. This pianist knows the score, and if with orchestra, knows the full score.

He is a musician who also never takes things at what feels a rushed speed, too often the case with more brilliant keyboard works. The conductor Sergiu Celibidache is well-known for taking slower tempi and by the proper articulation and placement, making those interpretations have a feeling of more forward momentum that many a faster rendering. Ohlsson also has the same canny ability.

At the risk of perhaps reducing your current opinion re: Serkin _fils_, you might want to check out the earlier and quite brilliant recording of the Prokofiev 1st and 3rd with Gary Graffman, the Cleveland Orchestra, George Szell conducting. These performances, too, have that slightly lesser tempo with a feeling yet of greater forward momentum.

Whatever you paid for the seat, I think you were privileged to attend that performance. I envy you.


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## Forte

I watched this a few years back and gained appreciation for Chopin, and Mr. Ohlsson. I don't think I've heard anything he's performed that I didn't like, he's a wonderful musician above everything else. The longest work I've heard him play (on YT) was the Busoni Piano Concerto.


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## hreichgott

I really enjoyed that. Thanks Forte. Also, Ohlsson is A GIANT. Physically as well as artistically. I did not realize this at Tanglewood as we were on the lawn and could barely see anything at all.


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## Ukko

Damn, that was interesting. And kept me up past my bedtime.


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## Itullian

He's one of my favorite pianists.
I have his complete Chopin which is fantastic
and his Beethoven which is just as fantastic.


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## DavidA

I must confess I heard him play one of the Chopin concertos and thought it was desperately dull. Not a patch on, say, Argerich.


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## Cosmos

He was the first pianist I've ever seen in concert! He played Beethoven's Sonata 13, Liszt's Sonata in B minor (the first time I ever heard that piece) and Chopin's preludes. It was outstanding.


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## hreichgott

DavidA -- Ohlsson struck me as nuanced and emotional in the sense of being totally in love with the piece he was playing. He never had an angsty or overwrought moment as Argerich tends to (early Argerich more than late). At least, not in the performance I heard, which was a piece where you really wouldn't want angsty or overwrought.


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## Itullian

And he has such a beautiful tone.
Reminds me a little of Arrau.


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## starthrower

I'm bit confused about some of his Chopin recordings. He is represented on a number of different labels and I'm wondering how many times he recorded certain works such as the Nocturnes? There was a double CD re-issued on Warner Classics of the Nocturnes and Preludes and I like the sound of these Nocturnes to the version on Hyperion. And there are Ohlsson Nocturnes on Arabesque the label as well. Were the recordings boxed by Hyperion all new performances made for that label or a mix of old and new compiled?


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## SearsPoncho

hreichgott said:


> DavidA -- Ohlsson struck me as nuanced and emotional in the sense of being totally in love with the piece he was playing. He never had an angsty or overwrought moment as Argerich tends to (early Argerich more than late). At least, not in the performance I heard, which was a piece where you really wouldn't want angsty or overwrought.


I saw Ohlsson last year and this is an accurate description. He played Beethoven's Op.101 Sonata, a bunch of Scriabin pieces, and Schubert's Sonata in B Flat, D960. Everything sounded natural and unforced. Nuanced and poetic, without exaggeration or extremes in interpretation or dynamics. A very comfortable, easy virtuosity.

His recording of Chopin's Piano Concertos was the first Chopin recording I ever purchased, and is still one of my favorites.


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## Animal the Drummer

He's also a genuinely nice guy. A friend who's not into classical music got taken along to one of his concerts, bought a CD for me afterwards (Chopin mazurkas) and asked Mr.Ohlsson to sign it. He was kindness itself and quite charmed her.


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## Varick

When I was in management, we used to manage Garrick. He is a consummate gentleman. He is the one I thank and curse simultaneously for getting me into single malt scotch. I was about 23 years old, and for Christmas, he came into our office and handed me a bottle of Glenlivet 12 yr old as a present. I had never indulged in scotch before. About two weeks later, after I had tried it about 3 or 4 times, I was hooked. To this day, it is my favorite spirit.

Our promotions of him were from the Arabasque recordings of his Chopin, Busoni, Beethoven, & Haydn. He was a very good pianist back then (early '90s). I have heard some more recent recordings of his and I think he has become a GREAT pianist. There are layers upon layers to his playing and expressions, particularly his Chopin. As someone said above, never forced. I'm glad I found this thread. It has reminded me to seek out more of his recordings.

V


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## Bulldog

I was highly impressed with his recording of Bach's Goldberg Variations - a true Gentle Giant. His rendition of aria 30 is the most uplifting I've ever heard.


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## Littleman

We attended a concert at Orchestra Hall in Mpls in the early 2000's with Ohlsson and the MN Orch...wonderful concert that also include a pre-concert q & a with Ohlsson and a MPR moderator. A true gentleman with strong musical instincts, yet humble. I've gone on to collect much of his work, and yes, the resulting output varies a bit, but more I'd suggest due to the venues and recording engineers than Ohlsson's ability.


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## mbhaub

I got to play the Beethoven 4th piano concerto with him in college when his career was just beginning - a great pianist who seems incapable of tasteless playing. If I ever decide to take the plunge and get the complete Chopin works, I'll look for Ohlsson's.


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## jegreenwood

I've seen him in recital twice: once all Lizst, once all Scriabin, two composers I rarely listen to. I was riveted.


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