The master himself, a passionate experimenter, will also participate, whose constructed piano surprises and enchants with new timbral possibilities.
The first day of piano music or Piano Day was celebrated on March 29, 2015, when, at the suggestion of the German pianist and composer Nils Frahm, everyone in the world was invited to pay tribute to this instrument and the music created for it. Well, celebrating the 88th day of the year (referring to 88 piano keys) is already a tradition and will take place for the tenth time. It was introduced in Latvia by the producer, cultural places Hansa platform artistic director Miks Magone, performing for the first time in the Ventspils concert hall Latvia and continuing in Riga.
In the introduction to the Piano Day, visitors will be welcomed by a discussion led by journalist Gundars Röder One on one against another one, in which the piano builder, the company’s Clavin Piano manager Dāvids Kļaviņš and piano master, head of the Musical Instrument Collection and Restoration Department of the Jāzeps Vītolas Latvian Academy of Music, lecturer at the Piano Department Norbert Zug-Divré. A special concert will follow, in which pianist Rihards Pleshanov will offer a reading of Dmitri Shostakovich’s first twelve Preludes and Fugues (Op. 87) on two different instruments.
“I can’t help but mention that my relationship with the piano is also numerological. I was born on August 8, 1988. The piano has 88 keys, so my participation in the Piano Day is no coincidence,” reveals pianist Rihards Plešanov, joking seriously. “I will play the first twelve preludes and fugues of Dmitri Shostakovich, which were written inspired by the music of Johann Sebastian Bach, but in their musical handwriting and content message reveal Shostakovich’s own life. With respect for the ancient forms, he created his own sound world, which became one of the 20th century . to the heights of music. This cycle entered my repertoire in the fall of 2021, even before the following terrible February, and I will admit that this music has made me ache and pray for many victims of this war. But it is not about the war, I think it is for great humanity and love.” The pianist’s future plans include an ambitious plan to play Shostakovich’s entire cycle of 24 preludes and fugues together.
The watercolor used in the visual identity of Piano Day was created especially for this event by artist and gallerist Kaspars Groševs.
