There may not have been anywhere to park. Due to a small oversight on my part, we may not have had any tickets. My upper legs may have been several inches longer than the space between rows in the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. But none of these minor inconveniences were able to tarnish the musical luster of renowned pianist Pierre-Laurent Aimard as he kicked off the 109th Season of the Troy Chromatic Concert Series by passionately performing classical pieces from the likes of Chopin, Mozart, and Beethoven.
Born in Lyon, France in 1957, Pierre-Laurent Aimard was a brilliant and award-winning pianist from an early age. At age 16, he won first prize in the prestigious Messiaen Competition, and at age 19 became the Ensemble Inter Contemporain’s first solo pianist. Making his Carnegie Hall debut in 2001 and constantly performing worldwide, Pierre-Laurent is currently an artist-in-residence at the Salle de Concerts Grande-Duchesse Josephine-Charlotte, Luxembourg for its opening season. His known commitment to contemporary music was reflected by the selections at the concert—with a performance of two pieces from 20th century composers.
The courteous and efficient staff of the beautiful Troy Savings Bank Music Hall went beyond the call of duty by being extremely friendly and willing to discuss our lack of tickets. Though the parking, seating, and lighting all left something to be desired, the sounds of Aimard throwing his heart and soul into his performance echoed across the audience with crystal clarity. The average age in the room was probably well over 60, but the music was just as magnificent and timeless as the audience’s love for it.
Starting off with Mozart’s Sonata No. 16 in B-flat Major, Mr. Aimard slowly built to a thrilling climax with his rendition of Beethoven’s Sonata No. 24 in F-sharp Major. After the excitement died down, Pierre-Laurent continued by playing Chopin’s Barcaroille in F-sharp Major. Then, to add to the classic Chopin, Mozart, and Beethoven, he concluded the evening by playing some fascinating pieces from 20th century composers Elliot Carter (Two Diversions) and Achille-Claude Debussy (12 Preludes, Book 1).
The next Chromatic Concert will continue this 109th season of classical music by featuring P.D.Q. Bach & Pete Schickele on Sunday, November 6, 2005 at 4 pm—once again at the Troy Savings Bank Music Hall. The rest of the 2005-2006 season includes performances by New York Philomusica Sunday, February 19, the Kirov Orchestra of the Mariinsky Theater Saturday, March 11, and Lionheart Sunday, April 9. For additional information, you can visit their website at http://www.troychromaticconcerts.org/.
