Piano World Home Page Forums Our Most Popular Forums Pianist Corner Garrick Ohlsson

is anyone familiar with this pianist? i only saw his name on a Beethoven's CD at the Borders before, and knew nothing about him.

i went a concert tonight with him playing Rach3 with Cleveland orchestra. he seemed to make playing this piece looked too easy, except a few moments in the 3rd movement when he got to those fast chord runs. his playing was quite musical even though he was playing some extremely fast passages most of time.

from the profile on the program notes, i just learned that he was the winner of the Chopin Competition in 1970, just as Pollini did in 1960, and furthermore, he was a student of Arrau! but, how come he was not that well known like Pollini, or maybe it's just me not knowing him? does anyone have his recordings or have any opinions about him?

Ohlsson is very well known. He is also a consumate musician, and can produce fireworks when you least expect them.

Ohlsson? Isn't he the fellow who ditched Steinway for Bosendorfer a while back? I hope that isn't why he isn't as well known as he should be.

I've seen him live, and he is from the town next to mine. Very nice guy, I heard a Busoni inspired program, with Busoni works and transcriptions, Liszt/Bach-Busoni, etc. It was interesting, but I do prefer pianists like Pollini and Rubinstein for Chopin.

Yeah he is well known.

I've actually not heard him play though, but I think he is supposed to be one of the best Rachmaninoff performers among other things.

Great pianist, huge range of sound.

Interestingly enough, every time that he's come to Cincinnati it's always been Mozart or early Beethoven and it's always been very satisfying. I'd love to hear him do something big.

One of my friends was the volunteering for the Fort Wayne Philharmonic and is a big fan of transcriptions (Busoni, Godowsky). Ohlsson came and played Rachmaninoff 3rd, and after the concerto my friend asked him about the Busoni concerto (which Ohlsson plays). Ohlsson suddenly tensed up, eyes widening.

"That piece nearly killed me." This was right after playing Rachmnaninoff.

Brendan, what do you think about Hamelin's recording of the Busoni concerto? I've been thinking about buying it for some time.

I heard Garrick Ohlsson years ago. It was a wonderful concert from beginning to end. He played a variety of pieces on the top half of the program: Brahms, Schumann, Chopin. The second half of the program was Pix at an Exhibition, the first time I'd seen it performed live.

He is great. I have an old vinyl record of him playing Chopin that is wonderful. I've played it so much you can practically hear the other side.

Huge, humungous hands.

Nina

I saw him perform Beethoven's 4th Piano Concerto around 1989 or 1990. I thought he was really awesome.

Ohlssohn was giving a performance in New York about 20 years ago. He had a Steinway moved to the hall, and gave an interview at his home. The reporter noted that he had a Bösendorfer, and Ohlssohn called it "the Rolls Royce of pianos." Steinway saw the interview and retrieved their piano before the performance, feeling that if they are supplying the piano, he shouldn't be endorsing other makes of piano.

At one of the venues I was working recently, Ohlsson substituted for the scheduled pianist in a lecture demonstration about Busont's piano music. That impressed me, knowing how difficult and boring Busoni's music is. (Busoni's best music was written by Kurt Weill.)

He played at a venue where I work regularly a few years back. I didn't see him, but reports were that he was happy with the piano.

The pianos were Steinways in the latter two performances, many years after the NY incident.

indeed, and extremely quick fingers...

I heard Ohlsson play the Busoni concerto with the Cleveland Orchestra when they visited Boston. Astonishing. I specifically remember that he had the score on the piano, but barely glanced at it.

The Busoni Concerto was recorded in Cleveland (on Telarc) using a Bosendorfer, but he used the hall Steinway in Boston. Ohlsson has also used a Mason & Hamlin on some of his recordings.

Ohlsson is a red-blooded, big statement, pianist (also a big guy, about 6'4" IIRC), with formidable technique.

Interesting. I heard Hamelin perform the Busoni with the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and he did it all by memory without a score, and didn't even seem fazed by it.

Afterwards I asked him what it was like to have 3 performances of the Busoni scheduled in a row, and he said it was really enjoyable being able to perform it that often since he doesn't get many chances!

Someone mentioned about the Hamelin recording. I have that one and the one by Ogdon, but not the Ohlsson. At first I didn't prefer the Hamelin over the Ogdon, mainly because I wasn't used to it. But after repeated hearings I would certainly recommend Hamelin's. Some of the tempos and sounds he brings out are unbelievable.

Back on the topic. I heard Ohlsson in a solo recital, and it was one of the most enjoyable recitals I've been to. His program was A+ and his virtuosity was awe inspiring. He definitely deserves as much recognition as some of the bigger names out there.

Yes, he owns both an M&H CC and a Bosie Imperial -they were used in his complete Chopin cycle recordings. My tech prepped the pianos for this series, and maintained Ohlsson's pianos while he lived in NYC, I believe he lives in the Southwest now.

Hey, didn't I see you on NBC last week, flying a helicopter?

Hmm, mebbe


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