Jorge Bolet on Dutch radio

(Translation from Dutch via internet apps is a bit rough in places!)

Five counts from now, and without mercy, the green studio light turns red—the fatal moment, at which a recording that is nerve-wracking for the pianist begins. Everything seems to proceed effortlessly, but "Vision," a melancholic etude building to a climax, turned out less well than Bolet had expected, and he plays it again with even greater concentration. "I hate recording," he says fiercely and grimly. He much prefers playing for a hall of three thousand people, like Carnegie Hall. "Then I am mesmerized by the tense attention of the audience, and you play more accurately than ever, without any flaws."

Indeed, what a grandmaster this Ferenc Liszt is (he was Hungarian, after all), whose work was of such importance for the renewal of music and so clearly anticipated the Impressionists. What, then, was the secret of Bolet 's impressive playing? That he places his almost unparalleled and boundless virtuoso technique solely at the service of musical expression, which differs so much from the often exaggerated pathos and sentimentality of "der bombastische Pultvirtuozen", bombastic stage/podium/pulpit virtuosos. He understands the art of enchanting his audience and filling them with wonder by building a grand climax while preserving musical detail, and thus touching the heart of the work of art.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the domestic and foreign press were delighted with the pianistic achievements of Jorge Bolet , who was placed by an American newspaper on par with the almost legendary Vladimir Horowitz. It is understandable that for the music recordings in the film "Song Without End" about the life of Liszt, the choice fell on specialist Bolet , who, as the invisible pianist behind the scenes, evokes the grandiose sonic suggestions that form an inseparable unity with the film image. A few years ago, this pianist made his debut in our country, performing with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra, among others, which was then conducted by his brother Alberto Bolet , a professional conductor. With the same orchestra , Jorge performed Brahms' Second Piano Concerto under Eduard Flipse in October '63 and has since given concerts in Amsterdam, The Hague, Utrecht, Groningen, Haarlem, and other places in our country.

First, vacation. “What are your plans for the upcoming season?” is our question. “Well, first I am going on vacation to recharge my batteries for my participation in various American festivals in August.” Next up is New Zealand, South Africa in October, and then I will be back on the European continent for two months." And then the cycle begins all over again in the United States, a two-month tour of Australia, etc. ~ Twice the American master pianist Jorge Bolet made a recording—for the AVRO—of all twelve "Etudes d'exécution transcendante" (1851) by Franz Liszt, "etudes full of impetuosity and of a terrifying formidability for at most ten or twelve players in the world," as Schumann said: "Highlights in his oeuvre, wondrous moments of musical poetry and painting full of daring fantasy. His delivery in "Paysages" is lyrical, twinkling and flashing in *ponist*?? (Lyrisch is zijn voordracht in „Paysages", twinkelend en flitsend in ponist...)

“Feux follets” (little will-o'-the-wisps), a mother-of-pearl necklace of crystallizing clusters of notes, poetic beauty stripped of pathetic humbug and embellishment, and “Ricordanza,” a gracefully flowing melody full of tender expression and arabesque-like cadences, characteristic of the com. “Beautiful in his wonderful harmony” is Liszt in “Harmonies du soir,” our pianist remarks as he relaxes for a few minutes between recordings. “And have you noticed that this rich harmonization and the mysterious atmosphere are already casting their shadows ahead of Impressionist composers like Debussy and Ravel? Around the world in one year!” he says proudly. („En is u opgevallen dat deze rijke harmonisatie en de mysterieuze atmosfeer de impressionistische componisten als Debussy en Ravel reeds hun schaduwen vooruitwerpen? rond de wereld in één jaar!", zegt hij trots.)

And then we bid farewell to Jorge Bolet , wish him heartfelt success on his concert tours, and hope to see him back on stage and in the Hilversum studio in the not too distant future.

(Broadcast of Liszt's "Etudes d'exécution transcendante" tomorrow afternoon from 14:00 to 15:25).

O. v. H. [= Oscar van Hemel] in De Gooi- en Eemlander (7.3.1964)