Who or what inspired you to pursue a career in music and who or what have been the most important influences on your musical life and career?
From the first minute I took my first piano lesson, I knew I wanted to play! I was 7 years old then and had no idea what it really meant, but I just wanted to play the piano!! When I was 9 years old, my parents bought me the recording of the Chopin Waltzes by Dinu Lipatti. I fell in love with this recording, and listened to it a million times. It became by goal : one day, I would be able to play this gorgeous music just like this wonderful pianist !
My teacher at the Conservatory in Nice, Madame Delbert-Février, was a remarkable woman and musician. She was convinced I could embark on a career, and she definitely inspired me to go on. She was also a major influence on my approach to the keyboard, sound, phrasing, touch, the vision of a piece, the passion. The two verbs she used all the time were : listen (to what you produce), and sing. All the great pianists I have heard, either on record or in concert, in all the diversity of their personalities and styles, have been major influences. I could say the same of great singers and great conductors.
What have been the greatest challenges of your career so far?
AWhen you reach my age, you have met a few challenges! I may say one of the great ones was playing the two Brahms Concertos in the same concert, which I did twice. It was also one of the most exhilarating musical experiences in my life!
Which performances/recordings are you most proud of?
This is difficult to answer, because I’m never fully satisfied with my recordings. Sometimes, I’m very unhappy ! Anyway, I think the Schumann Symphonic Etudes I recorded in 1995 (Lyrinx) are still pretty good, after all these years. And I think I also did a good job with the Debussy Preludes, which was my first collaboration with La Dolce Volta in 2012.
Which particular works/composers do you think you perform best?
This is another difficult question ! It is not easy to have an objective look on oneself. And there can be a dichotomy between what you wish and what you actually achieve. I adore Chopin, especially the late Chopin pieces, and I have played them very often with great delight. But I have never been hailed as a major Chopin interpreter. On the other hand, I have a passion for Schumann, his music moves me deep inside, and I have been praised for my interpretation of Schumann. Now, obviously I have a very natural relationship with Debussy and Ravel, probably because of my temperament, and also because I had the fantastic opportunity to study with Gaby Casadesus who carried on the French tradition, and had a deep knowledge and an intimate affinity with these composers. Although I don’t like to reduce the list to these two names, I think I’m at my best with Debussy and Ravel.
What do you do off stage that provides inspiration on stage?
Music is about life. Everything you do can provide inspiration: reading a book, visiting a museum, watching a movie, even contemplating a beautiful landscape or walking in the woods or on a nice beach. Of course, listening to great musicians can be extraordinarily stimulating, spiritually and emotionally. All these things nourish your soul and spirit, and inspire your work, reflection, and what you give when you are on stage. It is like an alchemical transmutation: everything you experience in life can become music.
How do you make your repertoire choices from season to season?
I have never really planned anything. Even though I seem to be a very rational person, I realize that I have mostly used my instinct and my desires to make decisions about repertoire and about my career. Suddenly I will feel the urge to learn something and perform it, and nothing can divert me from this goal. I have to do it ! This has lead me to some poor choices occasionally, but also to some really good performances. In general, I try to bring variety to the repertoire I present to the public, but sometimes you have to accept to play what a presentor or an orchestra asks you to do.
Do you have a favourite concert venue to perform in and why?
Frankly, there are a number of wonderful concert halls in the world, for various reasons, and it is difficult to name only one. But if I really have to pick one, I would say Wigmore Hall in London. I think it’s a perfect venue for recitals and chamber music. I love the acoustics, the warm atmosphere, the intimacy, and more than in any other halls, I feel like it’s infused with the spirit of all the great artists who have performed there. It’s a magical place!
What is your most memorable concert experience?
I’ve had many memorable moments! When I was in my twenties, I had a fabulous experience : I played a number of concerts and I recorded the three Schubert Lieder cycles with the great German baritone Hermann Prey. All the things we did together were wonderful for me, but I particularly remember a concert we gave in the Salle Gaveau in Paris. He was singing Schubert’s Schwanengesang. He was particularly inspired that night and he sang with an intensity I had never heard before. I still remember the emotion I felt playing with him and being uplifted by this incredible singer.
I mentioned earlier the two Brahms Concertos that I played in the same concert in Monte Carlo. That also remains a memorable moment for me.
As a musician, what is your definition of success?
Well, mine is probably not the usual definition. For most people, being successful means being famous, playing all over the world, and receiving thousands of invitations to perform in the most prestigious venues. For me, as a musician, success means being able to make a living playing music, it means being able to bring to life all the incredible masterworks great composers have bequeathed us, it means being able to create a deep connection with the public. Success is when the audience expresses their gratitude with warmth and enthusiasm, whether it is in Carnegie Hall or in a small church in a small village.
What advice would you give to young/aspiring musicians?
I would tell them to pursue their passion only if they feel they couldn’t live without making music. It must be as necessary for them as breathing air to stay alive!
What do you feel needs to be done to grow classical music’s audiences?
This has been a major concern for decades. The key is to reach out to children and young people. It is necessary to convince them that classical music is exciting, it is about passion, it expresses everything a human being can experience emotionally. Many people from the music world have undertaken actions to bring classical music to young people. I have been invited to play and talk in elementary schools, or play in concerts halls where school children were invited. It’s always been a great experience, and the interaction with the kids is just wonderful.
But I’m afraid being exposed to classical music once or twice a year is just not enough. It can’t compete with the huge amount of other kinds of music the kids are exposed to through the medias, which they think is more exciting and fun. I think music and other high forms of art should be taught in school, it should be part of the education programs in the same way literature is being taught. This will probably remain wishful thinking…
What’s next? Where would you like to be in 10 years?
I would like to be still alive! I mean being still around of course. But also being able to make music, one way or another, enjoy music, and enjoy all the good things life has to offer, love, friendship, good food, the beauty of nature, fragile and endangered nature…
What is your idea of perfect happiness?
I don’t believe there is such a thing as perfect happiness. We all go through impermanent states and things in our lives. However, we all experience very brief moments of perfect bliss and happiness, and I think we should try to seize them and hold them deep inside in our heart and soul. Happiness can only be found in oneself.
What is your present state of mind?
It is a good state of mind as far as I’m concerned, but on a broader level, it is unfortunately not very positive and optimistic. The future of the planet worries me very much, and considering the general situation in the world, I feel very discouraged that humans are possessed by such violence and hatred. It is all the more important to keep higher values alive, such as music, arts and the ability to communicate in spite of our differences.
Philippe Bianconi’s latest recording of piano music by Ravel is available now on the La Dolce Vita label.
Image © Lyodoh Kaneko
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