Off the blocks

Connections: Jeremy Denk at the CSO

By all appearances and by all sounds, Jeremy Denk had a lot of fun playing Beethoven’s Piano Concerto # 3 this past Saturday. His outfit was formal for a party at a friend’s house but informal for Symphony Hall and that was fun too.

I’d been looking forward to Denk’s performance once his name appeared as part of our subscription. I’d heard of him from various NY Times reviews where he has a reputation for playing new and often thorny music. Since then I’ve been following his blog, Think Dent, and my desire was flamed by his provocative and witty posts. It was there that a pre-concert connection took place.

I decided to spend particular time preparing for the Beethoven Concerto. I’d heard it before but my memories were vague and in no sense was it the personal favorite it is now. I have three versions , Schnabel and Ashkenazy (with Solti and the CSO) on vinyl and Brendel (live with Levine and the CSO) on CD. I listened and the piece grew on me, particularly the  beautiful, slow second movement. Then I pulled from my shelf Joseph Kerman’s Concerto Conversations  (with CD) and as I read and listened the aural lights came on.

In the first chapter Kerman breaks down, yes!, the first movement of the Beethoven 3rd, with a particular focus on how it starts – with numerous examples of how other concertos start. All at once, I was all over the beginning and waiting, as I found Denk waiting, for the orchestra to complete its intro, a long-seeming 3:21, so he can show the orchestra who really has range, as the piano goes from low to very high.

The second connection, like a needle dropped on a groove,  sparked from reading Denk’s blog on a recent concert he gave with the St. Louis Symphony. He played an early Mozart Concerto (K 415) and began by commenting on what was so interesting about the beginning. Mozart, Beethoven, Denk and me, all thinking about the start. I was excited and I told my wife to listen for it and she did.

Jeremy Denk played the last movement like there was nothing easier or more fun in the world. The audience rose to show their appreciation but no one more than I — for we were previously connected.