A Master's Music Is Back -- Pianist Murray Perahia Rebounds From Crippling Injury To Body And Spirit
---------------------------------------------------------- CLASSICAL MUSIC PREVIEW
UW President's Piano Series: Murray Perahia 8 p.m. Sunday, Meany Theater, University of Washington, Seattle; $40, 206-543-4880. ----------------------------------------------------------
Is this going to be the recital of the year?
The return of pianist Murray Perahia to the President's Piano Series (he plays this Sunday at 8 p.m.) is certainly one of the most eagerly awaited events on the Seattle classical-music calendar, by music lovers who have watched with dismay the pianist's long absence from the concert stage.
Since 1991, Perahia has been plagued with a hand injury that at first appeared to be an infection from a paper cut, then was diagnosed as a ligament injury, and finally as a spur on a bone in his thumb. Following surgery and a year away from the keyboard, the problem recurred, and the pianist spent long months of depression.
"I felt very low," he told one interviewer, "and thought I'd never play again. I played chess against a machine, and always lost. I spent the year getting depressed. It was a terrible time."
He had plenty of time to read works of musical theory, and listen to Bach, and be with his family (wife Ninette and two sons); he also found a British doctor at a hand clinic in Windsor, who finally operated successfully on the thumb. After about eight months, Perahia was ready to play again. He was ready to record, too: wonderfully subtle Handel suites and Scarlatti sonatas for Sony Classical (SK 62785), and some warmly romantic Schumann (the Piano Concerto and other works with the Berlin Philharmonic and Claudio Abbado, SK 62034).
In celebration of the pianist's 50th birthday, Sony Classical also is releasing a four-disc collection of highlights from Perahia's extremely wide-ranging repertoire, from Mozart and Chopin to Tippett and Berg (SX4K 63380). The pianist has been a Sony Classical artist for 25 years - ever since the Bronx-born Perahia first came to international attention by winning England's Leeds Competition. (A local note: Seattle pianist Craig Sheppard placed second in that same competition.)
No number of recordings, however fine, can eclipse the thrill of hearing Perahia in person - especially after his long absence from Meany Theater. On Sunday, we'll hear Handel's Suite No. 3 in D Minor, Schumann's Sonata No. 1 in F-Sharp Minor, Mendelssohn's "Songs Without Words" and Chopin's Berceuse in D-Flat Major.
Perahia is not one of your more demonstrative players. He strides briskly from the wings, straight for the piano, and usually pauses partway there as if he just discovered the presence of the audience and isn't terribly thrilled by it. He cheerfully acknowledges applause, but never plays to the crowd with that repertoire of gestures and other choreography espoused by some more drama-conscious players. For Perahia, the music is not just the main thing; it is the only thing.
A busy Sunday
Why is everything happening this Sunday? Just for starters, we have the 7:30 p.m. Belle Arte Concert with the Seattle Chamber Players and guest artists at Meydenbauer Center Theater, in wide-ranging repertoire (call 425-454-2410); the esteemed Bridge Ensemble at the Frye Art Museum (2 p.m.; call 206-622-9250); the 2:30 p.m. "Leonardo and Music" program by the Early Music Guild and commentator Maria Coldwell (Seattle Art Museum; call 206-325-7066); a trio performance in the Northwest Chamber Orchestra's "Chamber Music at SAAM" at the Seattle Asian Art Museum, beginning at 2:30 (call 206-343-0445); and the Seattle Youth Symphony's opening concert of the season, at 3 p.m. in the Opera House, with Jonathan Shames conducting and violin soloist Angela Fuller (206-362-2300).