Bronfman sees himself as translator of music
Print Edition
ALTHOUGH in novelist Philip Roth’s book “The Human Stain,” Yefim Bronfman comes out more like a piano porter rather than a pianist because of his robust figure, his incredible rendering of Brahms’ music in Shanghai recently confirmed his identity in no uncertain terms — an interpreter of music.
Along with the New York Philharmonic, the 59-year-old Israeli-American pianist presented Brahms’ “Piano Concerto No. 2 in B-flat major” to open the 2017 Music in the Summer Air (MISA) at the Shanghai Symphony Hall on Sunday.
“I did not quite understand Brahms when I was practicing it at 17, but now I do,” says Bronfman. “It may also be true for most young audience members today. There are some composers whose pieces the audience may easily relate to, while there are also those whose music is much more difficult such as Beethoven, Bartok and Brahms. It takes time to get the messages.”
It seems to be a universal question today about how to help classical music attract more young audience members. In Bronfman’s view, it is more a matter of growth process, for both the musicians and the audience.
“Music is much like wine. A good wine won’t change itself to cater to anybody, neither will good music,” says Bronfman.
Bronfman used to be “jealous” about many young girls coming for Andrea Bocelli when they performed together at a concert. But he was happy to see many young audience members at his concert in Shanghai.
Born in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, in 1958, Bronfman started taking piano lessons first from his mother before entering the Tashkent Central Conservatory of Music.
“I was lucky to have a lot of great teachers as many musicians moved to Tashkent during World War II and stayed back after that,” says Bronfman.
He immigrated to Israel at the age of 15 and became a US citizen in 1989. He made his international debut in 1975 with Zubin Mehta and the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, and performed at the Carnegie Hall in 1989. He won a Grammy in 1997 for his three Bartok piano concertos with Esa-Pekka Salonen and the Los Angeles Philharmonic.
Though trained as a classical pianist, Bronfman was open to contemporary works as well.
“It took me quite a long time to play contemporary works as it was said that playing new pieces won’t shape the career of a musician. But times have changed now,” says Bronfman.
“I like playing contemporary piece as I can talk to the composer, and get to know their creations; how they put a note down to make it beautiful. I cannot do that for classical pieces,” he says.
Pianist is someone who translates music to audiences. Brahms’ “Piano Concerto No. 2” is widely considered as one of the most difficult concertos, but Bronfman sees it his duty to help the audiences hear the beautiful melody without sensing the difficulty that a pianist may be facing.
“My effort is to help the audiences enjoy the music without having to sense the technical obstacles set by the composer,” he says.
Bronfman challenged himself with numerous pieces, including the “Piano Concerto” that Salonen tailored for him.
“It is my philosophy that I never influence a composer in his work. But there was this exception,” says Bronfman. “Everything was great in the piece that Salonen made for me, except that the second movement was too difficult. I told him that even if I was practicing this piece eight hours a day and seven days a week for 10 years, I wouldn’t be able to play it right. Please rewrite it. Fortunately, he did. And that was the only time that I ever interfered in a composer’s work.”
Bronfman’s schedule is usually full several seasons ahead, including his collaboration with London Symphony Orchestra at Shanghai Symphony Hall again later in the season.
“I love collaborating with different orchestras and conductors, as they all have their own ways of making music. The secret of my collaboration with them is not to be polite. Speak your mind and express your opinion so as to get the best outcome in music,” he says.
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