This weekend, the Houston Symphony welcomes acclaimed pianist Lise de la Salle to Jones Hall for performances of Saint-Saëns Piano Concerto No. 2. Recently, I got to ask Lise a few questions about what it’s like to play this masterpiece.
Calvin Dotsey: How would you describe Saint-Saëns’ Piano Concerto No. 2 to someone who has never heard it before?
Lise de la Salle: I would say that it’s a beautiful piece that’s very heavily influenced by Bach. The first movement starts very dramatically and seriously, but it includes very beautiful, lyrical melodies. The second movement has a very light and sunny character with lots of humor. Then the finale is this crazy excitement; it’s a very diverse concerto.
CD: What do you love about this piece?
LDLS: It’s very fun to play – it has all this joy, excitement and humor! Also, it’s very beautiful and widely accessible. I know that for some pieces, it’s the musicians who are playing it that enjoy the piece the most, and the audience might not find it so accessible. One of the great qualities of this piece is that I think it’s something that the audience will enjoy if you’re not too familiar with it, or even if it’s your first time hearing it. I love that this piece is like that, because I think it’s really important to maintain accessibility with the audience in classical music.
CD: How is Saint-Saëns’ piano music different from other composers’ piano music? What makes his way of writing for the piano unique?
LDLS: I do feel that his way of writing music is really, very clear and easy to understand as a musician – it’s not like you need thousands of hours to understand where each voice is going and how he’s using it. To me, his writing is in a very classic way, because it makes sense immediately. That’s one of the greatest qualities I find in his music: it’s simple, easy and clear. Not in a negative way, of course, but in a positive way.
CD: As you mentioned earlier, many listeners hear the influence of Bach in the opening of this concerto. How does this musical reference to Bach’s style affect your interpretation and what do you think Saint-Saëns meant by it?
LDLS: I think the opening is like a choral by Bach, that’s very obvious to me. I don’t really know what he meant or why he did that, but it reminded me of the organ with the big opening with lots of power. Maybe it was because Bach was a model idolized by so many different composers?
Saint-Saens – from what I remember – was really enjoying the piano (which was still new at the time) since it had so much possibility, and he wanted to use all the abilities of this instrument. I think he wanted to use the piano like an organ from this opening, with all the amazing sound and power. It’s very interesting when you compare the first and second movements, because they are like complete opposites: the second movement is this playful, light character. You can really feel that he wanted to share the capabilities of the piano and show what was possible; that’s my understanding of it.
CD: What do you like to do when you’re not practicing or performing?
LDLS: I love exploring the cities I’m in. I’m lucky to be able to travel the world for my work, but it’s even better to be able to explore and really get to know new cities. I really like walking in new cities; that feels like the best way to get to know a city for me. If I have more time, I like going to museums, especially art museums – it’s one of my passions! I also like exploring good restaurants; I LOVE great food, drinks, wines and cocktails! 🙂 Any city with great food is a great place for me!
Don’t miss Lise de la Salle with the Houston Symphony!
Graf Conducts Schumann
February 20, 21, 22, 2015
Hans Graf, conductor
Lise de la Salle, piano
