Last night we heard Angela Hewitt play Book 1 of The Well-Tempered Clavier. This was a revelation in terms of texture, shading, overall musicality: familiar pieces, shown often in a new light, and despite the large concert hall setting, a very intimate performance. Book 2 will be played tomorrow night, but for all those far from Edinburgh here's a taste.
For her Berlioz last week, Joyce DiDonato used an iPad, turning the pages of her score with a touch of her hand. Angela Hewitt also used that device, but interestingly, her turning was done - so I understand - by means of Bluetooth and a small pedal positioned beside the piano's pedals. What happens in the event of a loss of signal, I wonder, though I'm sure a performer of Miss Hewitt's calibre would take a blank screen in her stride.
(Once again, apologies for the picture quality - the image on my phone is perfectly sharp, but somehow it loses clarity in translation to Typepad.)
I use an iPad while playing the ukulele with a group in a local restaurant. There are programs where you can download the music and use it off line so there is no need for wifi. It's a popular item because the amount of paper involved in amateur music playing is overwhelming and must be worse for professionals.
Posted by: Ann | 14 August 2019 at 04:43 PM
Yes, it must be a great help to all, Ann, and up-to-date iPads such as Angela Hewitt was using probably don't freeze now and then as my old one does!
Posted by: Cornflower | 14 August 2019 at 09:39 PM
Robert Dick (one of the innovators in extended flute techniques) is a big fan as then he doesn't need several music stands to line up his sheet music. He told us this at a concert at the RAM a couple of years ago where he had 7 music stands!
Ms Hewitt is my next door neighbour you might be interested to know.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 15 August 2019 at 08:02 AM
7 music stands - have page-turners all disappeared?
Are you close enough to Ms Hewitt to hear her practising? Also, she seems like a very pleasant person, so a nice neighbour to have.
Posted by: Cornflower | 15 August 2019 at 09:19 AM
PS. In her introductory remarks the other evening she said that before coming to Edinburgh she'd had three days at home in London in which to get TW-TC (not part of her current touring repertoire) up to standard again, and to this end she had invited three friends to her home for a private performance; I'd love to think you were one of them!
Posted by: Cornflower | 15 August 2019 at 09:23 AM
Not sure how you do page turning with a flautist moving around in front of the music.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 15 August 2019 at 09:32 AM
Ah sadly I don't move in those circles.
Posted by: Dark Puss | 15 August 2019 at 09:32 AM
You could nip round to borrow a cup of sugar ....
Posted by: Cornflower | 15 August 2019 at 09:41 AM
I have a Tesco Metro 20 m from my flat! Also she isn't here all that much, she spends quite a lot of time touring (obviously) and also back in Canada. However I may consider it. Perhaps "May I borrow a metronome" might be more appropriate!
Posted by: Dark Puss | 17 August 2019 at 05:10 PM
Good idea!
Posted by: Cornflower | 20 August 2019 at 06:20 PM