♫ ♫ ♫ [slow piano music and foreign singing]
(applause)
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano music and foreign singing]
(applause)
GERALD FINLEY: Well, my goodness me, that is
some offering, that is some offering.
I really congratulate you 'cause that...
the contrast between those two songs is really phenomenal.
The control that you need, of course,
between the concerto-like Duparc
and then this absolute tender element in the Schumann.
And mustn't forget that Schumann
put such demands on the pianist to be
as equally lyrical and poignant as he does the singer.
So, I think it really is something where one's
partnership can really intertwine
and you can spark off each other
and decide what things are going on.
I'd like to start with the Schumann, if we might.
Is that okay?
ERIK VAN HEYNINGEN: Sure, that's totally fine.
FINLEY: 'Cause the Duparc is such a beast, really.
VAN HEYNINGEN: It's a little beast, right?
FINLEY: But you did really, really well, so thank you for that.
And I just wanna talk about the first bar.
Can you just play the first bar for us, Bronwyn?
♫ ♫ ♫ [gentle piano music]
That's it, that's the one...okay,
the first bar and the first note of the next line.
Can you just play it again?
PIANIST: Just the first bar?
FINLEY: The first bar and the following note.
PIANIST: Okay.
♫ ♫ ♫ [gentle piano music]
FINLEY: Okay, so that's a very good clue
as to what this song is about.
It's just slightly off, and I want you
to be quite disciplined with it, alright?
See if you can give a really disciplined timing on that.
(sings piano notes)
Try it.
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano]
That's it. And that should give you the space now,
or the fundamental now to understand.
Now, were you around when Cameron the guitar player-
did you witness what was going on with the guitar?
No, okay, so this is a wonderful time when the singer
is demanding of his guitar collaborator.
Just a little moment.
Now, Schumann is being very clever in this thing,
he's going (sings piano tune) so,
and you go 1, 2, 3 (sings in foreign language)
but she has to be ready for your "b- il"
so, she has to be sounding on your "b il"
so you have to decide whether you're gonna go
(demonstrates singing two phrases in foreign language)
Do you see what I mean, the difference?
VAN HEYNINGAN: Mmhmm.
(demonstrates two phrases in foreign language)
So that the "b" comes up against,
so that the sound of your "i," happens on her lower.
Now that's only gonna happen after
three hours of practice between you, alright?
unless it happens right away.
VAN HENYNINGEN: I bet you we could do it right now.
FINLEY: So let's try, shall we? Let's try.
Now, I'll tell you why, because that gives
then the flow of the song in terms of-
because at first it sounds like a very, like Fauré, actually
(sings in foreign language) you know?
But no, Schumann is going (sings in foreign language).
So, the other thing about Schumann,
at the beginning of Dichterliebe (sings piano tune)
so that there's the, what I would call-
What's it called here?
An eighth note pick up, I almost said a semiquaver,
I'm sorry, I've been off in England too much,
That little thing is just, he's always trying to nudge
the quality of the phrase, never making it static.
There's always a transition happening in the movement
all the time and you can absolutely sense that
as a musician, which you clearly are, you'll sense that.
But I just wanna break down the technical reason
why it has that element of moving forward,
of unsettleness, of pausing, of enriching the musical mind.
Okay, try it! Try.
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano and foreign singing]
Good, good, very good. So now we can start to play.
Once you've got that firm, when you know what the speed is,
when you've got the pacing right, then it's this
wonderful dialogue and, please sing this out.
It says "softer" for some reason there,
but anyhow I would cancel that,
and this is your time to sing, this is who's this?
This is her face, I'm sure it's her face.
(sings in foreign language)
He's just reminding us how that perfect fifth
is perfection, absolute perfection.
And now, this to-ing and fro-ing, alright?
You'll feel it already in offbeat eighth notes
going on underneath you, but I think that's something,
now you can start to play with-
now, what I was trying to say was
(speaks in foreign language)
he gets the strength on two words
(demonstrates two phrases in foreign language)
because he's putting you on the offbeat before
(speaks in foreign language) so,
(sings in foreign language) Do you see what I mean?
VAN HEYNINGEN: Yeah, totally.
FINLEY: It's like you can't wait to talk about her, or him.
You know what I mean, that essence of unsettledness,
of- intermezzo, it's like this thing
that happens between these other glorious songs
but you're just like "wait a minute, I have to
talk about her face. It's unbelievable. And I'm really-"
See what I mean? There's that sense of-
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano music and foreign singing]
Okay, very good, very good.
This is working very well, I'm enjoying
what you're communicating to each other.
And that's about what needs to happen,
this is what the magic is onstage
between two very good musicians.
Now, langsam, okay, that's an interpretive thing.
Lansam 2/4, so, (sings piano tune).
It's a thing. For me, I think you can enjoy it,
just back off a bit- there's a sense of again
bringing us into you (sings in foreign language)
and it is (sings piano tune) from her.
So that's, do you know what I-
FINLEY: Does that make sense? VAN HEYNINGEN: Yeah, yeah.
FINLEY: Just try, let's just try it.
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano music and foreign singing]
Let us come to you.
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano music and foreign singing]
Just relax, just like that, nice and quiet
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano music and foreign singing]
FINLEY: Okay, now what does that word mean?
VAN HEYNINGEN: Sings silently.
FINLEY: Good...more quietly, peacefully, kind of.
(sings in foreign language) so, make your heart still.
Make the communication of that stillness
as part of that phrase, I would suggest.
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano music and foreign singing]
Good, good, very good, I know it's hard, very hard.
Okay, and that's I was overjoyed to feel you pull against
actually, the marking which says
(speaks in foreign language) which means you're
"getting more and more excited,"
but you pulled against it, and she listened,
and she wasn't driving you, and it was lovely,
it was lovely, so that's the sort of,
again, music-making, thank you, between you two.
But I would suggest go faster.
(laughter)
And let's get this pronunciation of the word
(demonstrates German pronunciation), every German person
will enjoy that effort that you make
to make that (demonstrates again).
It's a very special color.
VAN HEYNINGEN: I could actually see one smiling
in the audience right now too.
FINLEY: Oh very good, that's good. So (speaks in foreign language)
Try it, from the same place.
♫ ♫ ♫ [soft piano music and foreign singing]
(whispers) Thank you so much.
(applause)
Lovely thank you so much. Let's talk backstage. That's all we have time for.
(inaudible)
(applause)