Yesterday Noble Arts Pianos  presented Prof. Ulrich Urban in celebration of the Mendelssohn’s 200th birthday. Prof. Urban had come in from Washington, D.C., where he had performed at the National Gallery on the eve of the Superbowl to an appreciative audience of 400. Yesterday’s concert, however, was set in the elegant and more intimate environment of the Noble Arts Pianos in Easton, PA. And Prof. Urban did not dissappoint! His selection for the evening included Mendelssohn’s “Three Songs without Words”, “Three Fantasies or Caprices”, a Sonata from Joseph Haydn, and something very new:  a piece from contemporary composer from Connecticut Elizabeth R. Austin titled “Four Puzzle Preludes on Classical Themes”.

For the performance Prof. Urban selected the Sauter 7′7” Ambiente which despite its power ensured the intimacy of the evening with its sensitivity and velvet character. Check back as we will post a sound sample of the evening by next week.

About Prof. Ulrich Urban:

Born in Frankfurt/ Oder, Germany, Ulrich Urban studied piano at the Leipzig Conservatory with Guenther Kootz and conducting with Rolf Reuter. From 1969 to the present, he has taught at this institution, where he was promoted to the full Professor of Piano in 1991, after the fall of the Wall. His first performances of Bach garnered glowing reviews and his repertoire includes works by composers associated with Leipzig’s musical traditions such as Mendelssohn, Robert Schumann, Maz Reger, and Richard Wagner. He also introduced works by Elizabeth R. Austin, Gernot Grohs, and Erle Ninow as well as the works of the English composer Clement Harris, which he recorded in 2004.

His concert tours have taken him across Europe to Japan, South Africa, South America, and the United States, where he also conducted master classes. Urban has performed piano concertos with more than forty orchestras, including the Berlin Symphony Orchestra, the Dresden and Hamburd Philharmonic Orchestras, the Leipzig Gewandhaus, the the Weimar Staatskapelle, among many others.

See also:

http://nobleartpianos.com/

Laredo, Texas. Last evening, June 8th’ 08.

Last evening we enjoyed a piano recital at the beautiful Mann residence.  Mrs. Mann graciously agreed to host the recital making available her Sauter Amadeus Edition Delta.  Maestro Sergio Pena of Nuevo-Laredo, Mexico, presented a didactic program introducing the audience to the intricacies of J.S. Bach’s Goldberg Variations.  These are the only variations Bach ever wrote as he had thought that the variation format of composition was unrewarding.  But when called upon to write them, he transformed the format in a way no other composer has since dared to attempt.

Indeed few pianists today present the Goldberg Variations to a live audience.  This is true to such an extent that Dr. Ray Keck, president of Texas A & M International University, did a double-take when his receptionist mentioned the calendar appointment to him and asked her, “Did you say The Goldberg Variations?”  She called back to confirm, and we assured her that yes, indeed, the Goldberg Variations would be presented in their entirety.

Maestro Pena presented the variations in sets of ten by memory, pausing to introduce interesting historical anecdotes related to the composition and to discuss interpretational differences between the harpsichord and the piano demonstrating how those differences would sound.  He drew exquisite pianissimos and joyous fortissimos from the responsive instrument.  He demonstrated how the piano afforded the opportunity to dynamically layer the various voices in the canons and how to bring out the singing-line in the variations.

We relaxed as the engrossing intricacies of Bach’s superlative music washed over us while a distant thunderstorm softly rumbled and a light rain cleared the air.  To hear the Goldberg Variations presented live is an experience that is difficult to adequately express.  It takes you to a rare meditative state.  Dr. Keck requested that we hear variation 24 again commenting how Bach had achieved there what the impressionists had only dreamed of achieving.

Maestro Pena closed the concert with the Chopin E flat Major Nocturne with a very delicate pianissimo melody over even softer harp-like harmonies.  The Nocturne finished on a triumphant forte chord. 

The artist and audience alike commented on how wonderful the instrument sounded.  A perfect tuning and the artist’s touch displayed the Sauter lush-singing-tone to great advantage.  The presence of Sauter Pianos in Laredo has opened up new venues for great music-making.

Notes:  Mr. Andrew Anderson is the owner of Artisan Pianos and the Authorized Sauter Dealer for San Antonio, Laredo and Nuevo Laredo.

Photo 1. : Sauter Model Amadeus 6′1”, Mrs. Mann, Sauter Owner, Mr. Strmec - Vice President Sauter US Operations,  Photo 2.: Enthusiastic music connoisseurs enjoying an evening at the Mann Mansion

The most prestigious cultural and architectonic project of the last decade in Europe will be presented on April 12 to the general public: the New Oslo Opera. Located in Bjorvika the opera house is integrated into the harbour with stunning architectural audicity and perfect harmony. Renowned architecture firm Snøhetta designed the building after winning an international contest in 2000. The building area is 38,500 square meters and the building consists of more than 100 rooms.

Little has been left to chance. In addition to the first tunes  performed by the Norwegian Opera  while construction was still  ongoing to ensure acoustic viability of all halls, and dancers from the National Ballet testing floors to ensure optimal materials for the pirouettes and jumps, a team of musician and piano performers was sent across Europe with one goal in mind: to  hand-select the finest instruments to be found in Europe for the Opera.

The group traversed Europe and visited the factories of the most prestigious piano-makers. It sounds like a fairy-tale and we at Sauter were surprised at the tenacity, ressources and demands that the selection team had set. We were glad that such a high profile group would engage in a comparative analysis of manufacturers in both craftsmanship and usability for institutional needs as well as have rigorous ideas about the musicality and tonal flexibility of the instruments. As far as we know, no other institution had gone to these efforts and no other public or private funded enterprise had put the integrity of the project above any budgetary considerations. Thus it was with a certain kind of eagerness that we anticipated the decision of the New Oslo Opera.

Just briefly, before the Frankurt Musik Fair (the world’s largest music instruments fair) the New Oslo Opera remitted their requests and ordered 9 Grand Sauter Grand Pianos. The total purchase included 16 Grand Pianos. The Opera had also found fine instruments at Bosendorfer (2), at Roenisch (3), at Steingraeber (1) and at Steinway Hamburg (1).  In addition to Grand Pianos the New Oslo Opera also ordered 4 Sauter Uprights (Modell 122), along with  7 Petrof Uprights, and 4 Schimmel Uprights.

Andreas Bieder, Sales Manager for Northern Europe at Sauter Piano Company, was himself taken by surprise: “We knew that it would be a very tough field to compete in. And especially, since our instruments are valued significantly above some of our German colleagues , we did not allow our hopes to fly to high. My gratitude goes to our factory who is ultimately responsible for the consistency and quality of our instruments. The decision by the New Oslo Opera seems to reflect the general sentiment both in Asia as well as in Europe and the United States that Sauter Grand Pianos are a cut above the rest.”

Notes:

http://www.snoarc.no/#/projects/15/false/all/

www.operaen.no

In very well received concert young pianist and piano protege Soyeon Lee performed her debut with the Napa Valley Symphony to the tune of one of Mozart’s most acclaimed works: the Piano Concerto No. 20 in D Minor, KV. 466.

Ms. Lee has been applauded by the Washington Post for her “…stunning command of the keyboard”. The New York Times described her as a pianist with “a huge richly varied sound, a lively imagination and a firm sense of style”. She has received top prizes at the Concert Artists Guild International Competition, the Cleveland International Competition, and the Paloma O’Shear Santander International Piano Competition. She has worked with renown conductors across the globe in particular Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Otto-Werner Mueller and Jahja Ling. She is a graduate of Juilliard where she won the prestigious William Petschek Piano Debut Award and was the winner of two consecutive Gina Bachauer competitions among many others.

Also the concert in Napa Valley was a class in itself. The music critic L. Pierce Carson described the concert, its music and the artist in the Napa Valley Register as follows:

“This is a deceptively simple concerto, with the solo piano part often naked and exposed. Embodying a special brooding and contemplative quality, the work’s simple melody line demands far more from the pianist than technique. It demands heart. And heart was what it got, as Lee displayed musical maturity beyond her years- at times delicate, others quite intense, all the while beguiling the ear…..Continuing the tragic and intense mood of the work, the final movement’s sense of determination was clearly spelled out by the soloist, along with the second …of two dramatic cadenzas.”

The music critic than moves on to focus on the instrument:

“Not to be left out of the equation was the orchestra’s new piano, an imposing concert grand from Germany’s Sauter Pianofortemanufaktur. Lee coaxed the instrument’s brilliant tones and showed off its appealing expressiveness.”

Not to be forgotten was the work of Conductor Asher Raboy who directed the music with passion and forged a special beauty between the soloist and th orchestra.

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This year is the 75th Anniversary of the Napa Valley Symphony which is supported by individuals and community groups from the area. Napa Valley is the home of some of the finest wines originating in the United States. It is known for its beauty during all seasons of the year and is visited by tourists from across the world.

Notes:

Photo 1: Soyeon Lee in concert with Napa Valley Symphony, Photo 2: Ms. Soyen Lee warming up before concert, Phot0 3: Ms. Soyen Lee- cheerful and ready for Mozart’s D Minor Piano concerto.

Internet Links; 

http://www.napavalleyregister.com/articles/2008/03/12/arts/doc47d78c5a7306e044727858.txt

http://www.soyeonlee.com/

When Jose Negroni was about ready to record his third CD with his Trio he drummed up several renowned Latin Jazz Musicians and a piano: a Sauter Omega (7′3”/ 220cm) was flown to Miami for the recording session. The delicious result will be presented on March 6th in New York under the title: “Father & Son” by Negroni’s Trio.

Jose Negroni has become synonymous for finding kinship among the various flavours of Latin Jazz music, and yet expressing his unique beat and voice. Jose, who was nominated for a Latin Jazz Grammy Award in 2005, has a penchant for melody, the playful shifting of time signatures, and at times classical innuendos. It is not until the album’s second half, in “Your Melody”, that Negroni cuts loose with a smoking tumbao.

Like in a botica- the neighborhood convenience store in Latin speak- there’s something for everyone there. Berklee grad Marco Panascia guests on acoustic bass. The title tune is dedicated to drummer Nomar, Negroni’s son, who continues to grow as an essential part of his father’s trio. “Cajon y teda” is tailor-made featuring West Coast Chequendeque specialist, Alex Acuna. In melancholic mood, “En silencio” is a bolero featuring lyrics and vocals by Maria Nahima; the beloved Consuelo Velazquez standard, “Besame Mucho”, gets an energetic workout.

The presentation of the CD is on March 6th in the Jazz Gallery, 290 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10013. 

 Jose Negroni is a Sauter Artist.

 Notes:

Photo 1: Jose Negroni, Photo 2: Nomar Negroni at the drums, Photo 3: CD Info

www.jazzgallery.com, www.negronistrio.com, www.youtube.com/user/musicaart1

This posting is dedicated to a man who has in his own way changed the world and created a spiritual legacy that will last for generations. He is a legend. When Elvis sung “I’ve Got Confidence” it was he who had written the music and the lyrics. Madonna’s album “Like A Prayer” had his guidance for several of the songs. With Quincy Jones he worked on the film score of “The Color Purple”.  The last of his 9 Grammy Awards he received for his work on the movie “The Lion King” along with Elton John and Time Rice. Of course, the man is Andrae Crouch.

Andrae agreed to perform at the prestigious Sauter Evening for VIP guests during NAMM 2008. His voice had been been strained and so we had decided that he would just play a few numbers on the piano. But- typically Andrae- once he sat by the piano his voice came and he sang. The experience was beyond the ordinary. When Andrae started to play and sing “My Mother prayed for me” there was an undeniable power in the room. No eye stayed dry.

Andrae is the only living Gospel Artist who had his Star enshrined on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and only the third such aritst to have been thus honored. Stunning is that Andrae can not read on note of music. Everything he wrote and arranged came from the music he hears inside - from an incredible feeling for what sounds, what feels good - and what inspires. Today Andrae’s foremost attention is dedicated to his role as Pastor of Christ Memorial Church in San Fernando which he leads with support of his twin sister Sandra Crouch.

On behalf of the entire Sauter Company- thank your for your what you have brought to us. For many years you have been our friend and and inspiration to our company.  Thank you for loving our instruments! Thank you for visiting with us at NAMM!

Notes:

Picture 1: Andrae Crouch at NAMM at a Sauter Concert Grand 275,  Picture 2: Sandra Crouch and Paula Thompson (Sauter) at NAMM,  Picture 3: Andrae Crouch at a Sauter Omega (7′4”) in Madrona. The reflection of Mr. Crouch’ facial image on the side of the piano comes from a poster which is not seen in the pictures.

 Internet: www.andraecrouch.com

The National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) is the professional organisation for music retailers and manufacturers. Once a year NAMM organizes what is considered the world’s biggest music instruments show: the NAMM Show. It will be held from January 17 to 20 in the Anaheim Convention Center in Anaheim, CA.

Sauter Piano Company has become one of the most high profile exhibitors as world renown artists presented and performed during the Sauter NAMM Reception. The presentation in 2006 and 2007 had been dedicated to Sauter’s historical roots. In 2006 we presented the Amadeus Limited Edition Grand Piano honoring the 250 Jubilee of the Genus and in 2007 we commemorated Beethoven’s 180th Anniversary. Especially to Ludwig van Beethoven we have a close historical connection: our founder built instruments for him during his apprenticeship in Vienna.

For NAMM 2008 we decided that we need to show to the industry that we are not only the world’s oldest piano manufacturer but also the lead in piano design and aesthetics. Thus this year our exhibit will focus on our Peter Maly design line.

We invite NAMM Industry Participants to the customary Sauter Reception on Friday, Jan 18, 2007. As special guests we will have Andrae Crouch, nine time Grammy Award  winner, and Prof. Bram Wijnands, an authority in Jazz performance and composition and look forward to some special musical treats.

On Monday Dec 16th 2007 Gil Sullivan performed at a sold out Weill Hall at Carnegie. The concert was sublime and the Maestro was received with standing ovations.  Some interesting insights were offered by the technician who prepared the Sauter 275 Concert Grand on a piano discussion website. With permission of Mr. Jerry Cohen, RPT and President of the regional Piano Technicians Guild Chapter, we re-publish his comments:

“Yes, I prepared and tuned the piano.

Since Sauter is not sold in the New York area, yet, this is the 1st one I have worked on.

The piano is quite amazing. It is very powerful and consistent from top to bottom. Most pianos have some compromised areas so you have to balance the tone against the weakest part. Originally this piano was weak in the bass, but I was able to quickly and easily buildt it up. After it arrived it arrived on stage, the bass was almost to big, but Mr. Sullivan said to leave it because he could control the balance.

Also, on stage we all agreed that the piano was very bright, with a slight harsh edge that should be toned down. Many bright pianos die when you try to tone them down, but the Sauter responded extremely well. Not only did the harshness disappear,  but a beautiful round tone started to emerge, without losing any of its power. This is very rare to have power and beauty at the same time.

 After fine regulating and voicing the piano was capable of enormous dynamic range from the softest ppp to a thundering fortissimo. Gil Sullivan’s playing certainly took advantage of all that the piano had to offer.

 Since this was the Carnegie Hall debut for Sauter (as well as Gil Sullivan), being responsible  for the performance of the piano put extra pressure on me. But with an instrument of this quality, it was sheer pleasure to listen from the audience.

Jerry Cohen, RPT”

Jerry- thank you. You did a great job!

Links:http://www.pianoworld.com/ubb/ubb/ultimatebb.php?/topic/1/20458.html#000000

On December 10th 2007 Maestro Gil Sullivan will bring alive Beethoven’s Sonata No. 32 Opus 111 and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 6 among others in Carnegie’s famous Weill Performance Hall. Maestro Sullivan has the reputation as one “of Australia’s most brilliant and exciting soloists”.

Maestro Sullivan tours extensively, both around Australia and overseas, where he performs throughout Asia, Europe, the U.K., and the United States. He has been chosen as a soloist and conductor by the Thai Chamber Orchestra, the Adelaide Chamber and Arts Orchestra, and the Darwin and City of Fremantle Orchestra. His repertoire of concertos ranges widely from Mozart to Rachmaninov, Brahms to Malcolm Williamson, and he has recorded concertos by Tchaikovsky and Schumann for CD with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra.

After distinguishing himself in Adelaide, including prizes in State and National competitions, he studied under Murray Perahia in London and Paul Badura-Skoda in Vienna. In 2006 Maestro Sullivan performed all 20 of Mozarts piano sonatas in Germany. His recordings of the complete sonatas have been released internationally on ABC Classics.

 Maestro Gil Sullivan is a Sauter Artist and will perform in Carnegie Hall on a Sauter 275 Concert Grand.

For Tickets: www.carnegiehall.org

Anne Le Bozec took center stage along with a Sauter Concert Grand 275 at the famous Stuttgarter Liederhalle in performing “Nights in the Gardens of Spain” by Manuel de Falla among other pieces in Stuttgart, Germany. The French pianist who has made a name for herself with interpretations of Schubert was applauded for the sensitivity in which she communicated the symphonic impressions and “felt” her way through the “Klangschichten” (soundspheres) of the evening’s music according to the music critic Wolfgang Teubner.

Manuel de Falla y Matheu, a preeminent Spanish patriot and composer, had created the nocturne relying on Spanish native music and allowing the piano to blend in with the orchestra rather than antagonize it. Anne Le Bozec displayed the needed sensitivity to allow the orchestra to create the finely woven symphonic impressions so critical to the “Nights in the Gardens of Spain”. In an encore presenting Debussy she went to give the audience a further taste of the qualities of the Sauter Concert Grand.

In reference to the Sauter Concert Grand Mrs. Le Bozec told the press: ” The (Sauter) concert grand projects a very light, and yet carrying sound that is especially suited for huge concert halls: all registers balance well without loosing their own color. The action allows for an easy and comfortable performance. This Concert Grand truly belongs in the Beethoven Hall!”

Mr. Anne Le Bozec is a graduate of the National Conservatory of Paris. She is also the winner of several prizes and was the recipient of the “Fondation pour la Vocation” Award which was bestowed on her by the French President Jaques Chirac.

www.tilly-lebozec.com