The Chopin Podcast - featuring Garrick Ohlsson

Sam · 2024-09-06T09:17:01+00:00

Ben Laude is producing a series of podcasts covering all of Chopin's music featuring the legendary Garrick Ohlsson. Here is the introductory video: Sam

BartK

The first video is already out:

twocats

BartK I just watched this video today and it actually wasn't part of the 12 part series, I guess it was a fun teaser! The Chopin Foundation website says that the first episode will drop on Oct 2nd:

https://www.chopin.org/news/introchopinpodcast

I got to hear Garrick Ohlsson play Chopin's first piano concerto last night and had a really great seat with a central keyboard view. His hands looked huge and my friend said he looked massive, taller than the already-tall conductor. I looked it up and apparently he is 6'4" and can span a 12th!! Everything looks so natural and easy when he plays and his movements are so minimalistic. Afterward he played Nocturne Op. 27 No. 2, which was lovely. The Chopin concerti aren't my favorites but it was a joy just to watch him play 🙂

BartK

It's out! 🤩 Book the next 40 minutes to watch this.

twocats

I finally watched the first episode on Chopin Preludes! And now there's at least one more episode that's been released 🙂

Everyone should get to watching these!

Sam

Actually, the podcast is already on episode 3 - the Ballades! Next week - Scherzos.

BartK

Sam Actually, the podcast is already on episode 3 - the Ballades! Next week - Scherzos.

He's probably going to release the Scherzo episode this weekend. The audio of the full episode is released on Spotify first and then he puts up the video version in smaller chunks on YouTube in the following days.

Sam

I get the podcasts from Audible, which I use for audio books. Of course there is no video, but there is more content than the videos, which I guess are just excerpts.

BartK

Episode 4 Scherzos is out.

BartK

Pallas
I happen to be a lifetime subscriber to Josh Wright Piano so I'm already familiar with all these tips but he does indeed have a lot of very specific technical advice in his tutorials. All of them are pretty much like this except that he usually goes on long digressions which are interesting but can get long winded. I think Ben might have cut out those from the video 😉. He has many tutorials of different levels including beginner pieces. I highly recommend them.

Sam

Looks like the latest podcast episode (etudes) has been delayed until 11/8. Should be worth the wait!

BartK

He still hasn't posted the Etudes episode. Has something happened to him?

Sam

BartK I have been checking multiple times a day. The only info I have comes from the Community tab of his youtube channel, where he says:

I've been under the weather this week, and editing an episode on Chopin's Etudes is almost as hard as playing them. It's a behemoth, coming in 2 parts (with Garrick's segments occupying a full audio episode).

Getting some rest and will post Part 1 this weekend, with videos to follow. Still finalizing the new release schedule for remaining episodes.

Your patience will pay off!

BartK

The Etudes Part 1 is finally out!

Sam

BartK Downloaded!

pianocat

I've listened to every episode so far, but man these 2.5 hour lengths are tough! It takes me days to get through because I don't have a singular block of time that big.

Although I enjoy the banter between Ben and Garrick (which is getting increasingly freewheeling as they get more comfortable with each other), I'm finding that my favorite part of each episode is the middle part where Ben interviews previous competition participants. It's so insightful how these top tier, world class pianists think about their work, and music in general.

Sam

I've been really enjoying these, the videos and the podcasts. The podcasts have more material I think, but of course there is no video. The videos are compressed versions of the podcasts.

Every time I hear them talk about some piece (like the Barcarolle) I want to get the score and try it - and then reality kicks in and I realize that I will never be able to play it. But it is fun to dream!

Sam

BartK

Just watched Angeline Ma's performance and she was amazing but she had a slip in the etude. It would be so sad if she was cut from the competition because of that because her playing was much more inspired than the 18 year olds so far.

twocats

I stopped watching these when I was abroad in November and then forgot about them after I got home, but was suddenly reminded that they're there and all released now!

I watched the Nocturnes and Ballades videos last night and want to watch the supplemental videos for the Ballades. I already got an insight on how to group the musical phrases differently for the first page of Ballade 1 (at the very end of the video, a very brief clip of a pianist who had received that advice from Garrick Ohlsson many years ago during a masterclass).

Bumping this thread for anyone else who needs a reminder to watch these! 🙂

Sam

Season 2 is starting now - first episode Waltzes!

twocats

I'm still making my way through these and just watched the episode on the Barcarolle. Ben Laude and Garrick Ohlsson are getting more relaxed and easy with each other and the discussion about Liszt being "not safe for work" is really funny.

I have heard most, if not all, of the featured works growing up but oftentimes I didn't know what the piece was, just that it was Chopin. Because of this podcast I now started to learn the Impromptu in F# Major (it's the second one) and eventually I want to learn the Fantasie (Opus 49, not to be confused with the Fantasie-Impromptu which I may also learn). I'm watching all the supplemental content on YouTube as well and the one with Gabriela Montero's improvisations is absolutely astounding!

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