CD DÉCOUVERTE <strong>La</strong> <strong>Scena</strong> <strong>Musicale</strong> readers will receive a copy of Canadian pianist Lucille Chung’s new recording with XXI Records of Saint-Saëns’s piano transcriptions. This free Discovery CD is offered exclusively to paying subscribers of <strong>La</strong> <strong>Scena</strong> <strong>Musicale</strong> and in copies sold at newsstands. LUCILLE CHUNG SAINT-SAËNS PIANO TRANSCRIPTIONS Wah Keung Chan Piano transcriptions became popular in the 19th century, as the invention of the modern piano allowed orchestral works to be presented in the salon. Playing such works often required a piano virtuoso such as Franz Liszt, who famously transcribed all nine Beethoven symphonies. A new recording of Saint-Saëns’ Piano Transcriptions by Montreal-born pianist Lucille Chung on XXI Records shines light on composer Camille Saint-Saëns and his piano transcriptions. “Most people don’t realize that Saint-Saëns was one of the best pianists of his generation. His understanding of piano playing comes through in his compositions,”said Chung, recounting the story of how Saint-Saëns capped his debut recital in Paris at age 10 by offering to play any of the 32 Beethoven Sonatas by memory as an encore. He was a multi-faceted figure who was also interested in philosophy, science and mathematics, in addition to being an organist and composer. “One really can grasp all the interesting characteristics in his music: playfulness, exoticism, rhythm, elf-like charm, refinement,” said Chung. “Stylistically, he is between Liszt and Ravel. A true French classicist, his approach is very elegant, fresh, unabashed and yet very virtuosic. I love his use of counterpoint.” PLAYING TRANSCRIPTIONS For Chung, the challenges of playing transcriptions are to make the piano and the orchestra parts sound credible as one, and to preserve the right colours and nuances. Bizet was also a great pianist, and his transcription of Saint-Saëns’ Concerto No. 2 was just right. “I knew of course what the orchestra should sound like,” said Chung. “And also the timing—an orchestra is much more ample, vast, and takes more sound— so the timing is different from just playing solo parts. I studied the score and the instrumentation to know what should come out each time. It’s important to get the same character as the orchestral piece, to sound like strings here or timpani there; to also make it sound more like a dialogue.” Chung acknowledged the immense stamina required to achieve orchestral breadth in a piano transcription with only two hands and a keyboard, especially in concertos that combine an already virtuosic solo piano part with an entire orchestral accompaniment. For example, Saint- Saëns’ transcription of his “Africa” Fantasy for Piano and Orchestra is fiendishly difficult. Chung notes that the composer himself added a note allowing the performer to make a cut, admitting that the work is exhausting to perform. He even made the cut in his own recording. “But I didn’t do the cut,” said Chung. “I did the whole thing.” CHUNG’S BACKGROUND Like Saint-Saëns, Lucille Chung herself also has the pedigree of a piano prodigy. At age 10, she made her debut with the Montreal Symphony and Charles Dutoit – surprising given that she started piano lessons only at age six, as a social activity just to be with other kids. “My parents didn’t own a piano and I never practiced,” confessed Chung, who credits her first teacher Yolande Gaudreau for giving her new challenges such as entering her in frequent competitions. When Chung became too advanced, Gaudreau took her for lessons with Sister Lucille Brassard. “When I really became good, my parents finally decided to buy a piano,” she said. At age 13, Chung convinced her parents to let her leave home to study at the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, followed by the Juilliard School. She furthered her studies in Germany and Italy and lastly the SMU Meadows School of the Arts under Joaquin Achúcarro. Each country gave her something different. At Curtis, she learned all the Bach Preludes and Fugues and became immersed in chamber music. At Juilliard, she profited from the wealth of symphony orchestras and operas that flourished in the city, attending as many concerts as she could. “In Europe, I felt more alone. There was not the same “structure” as in America. So I traveled a lot to master classes, opened my eyes to different cultures, learned the languages,” she explained.. Chung’s diverse educational background is evident in the scope of repertoire she performs.“I feel the need to have a balance of different styles in my programme. Some musicians can specialize in a composer or style but I really enjoy how working within one style can make me look at another in a different light,” she said. A Ligeti project influenced her later interpretations of Bach, while her knowledge of Bach provided a solid base for interpreting Ligeti. For Chung, music transcends its stylistic and historical roots: “In the end we are so lucky to live with an art form that is timeless, and this is why classical music is still relevant today.” ADVICE Chung’s views on musical education for children are relaxed and flexible. “Every student is different and his or her relationship to the instrument is different. But if I see deep interest, I would focus on keeping the child’s motivation alive, making music fun,” she asserted. She encourages a rounded education that includes a wide range of repertoire as well as solfège and harmony training and even some composition, providing students with the tools “to decipher the musical language on their own.”She urges parents to choose schools based on individual teachers rather than the school’s reputation. And most importantly, “true talent always emerges no matter where you are or where you come from.” ■ PHOTO : LISA-MARIE MAZZUCCO 10 Novembre 2009 November
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