Gabriela Montero’s Season Three Concert Series at the Ebenezer Theater in Easton opened on Saturday night with one of the best pianists I have heard in my lifetime—yet another indication that Easton is becoming a destination city for classical music lovers.
The featured pianist was Khatia Buniatishvili from Tbilisi, Georgia. Buniatishvili named her program Labyrinth—a place constructed of intricate passageways. And what an appropriate name it was! The program featured pieces by Satie, Chopin, Bach, Schubert, Liszt, and Couperin. The music was riveting, eliciting complex imaginative, tender, and emotional responses. It was truly a philosophical journey for the senses, evoking hesitation, sensuality, pleasure, and pain.
Buniatishvili began studying piano at the age of three. She performed in her first concert at the age of six, appeared internationally at the age of 10, and then studied piano for several years at the Villa Schindler in Austria. She signed with Sony Classical as an exclusive artist in 2010, and released her first album in 2011 and several more after that. Buniatishvili’s album Labyrinth was recorded at La Grande Salle Pierre Boulez at the Philharmonie de Paris and was produced by Sony in 2020.
Of the 10 pieces Buniatishvili played on Saturday night, my favorites included a delicate and nuanced rendition of Satie’s Gymnopedie, Chopin’s Polonaise, Bach’s Prelude and Fugue for Organ, and Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody Number Two.
Buniatishvili demonstrated great versatility in performing all pieces, apparently by memory. The performance of Chopin’s Polonaise Op 53 in A Flat Major was exceptional. Among Chopin’s most beloved pieces, it is physically demanding and requires virtuosity and exceptional piano skills.
When playing Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody, as arranged by Vladimir Horowitz, Buniatishvili captured Horowitz’s emotion and spirit. When Liszt performed, he was known to play pieces so vigorously (some would say violently) as to endanger the piano. Buniatishvili too gave the Ebenezer Steinway quite the workout, rising from the bench to strike the keys harder than possible while seated.
A highlight of the evening was the presence of Gabriela Montero in the audience, who presented Buniatishvili with flowers at the end of the concert, which included two encores.
My one disappointment about this wonderful Gabriela Montero concert series is that it does not publish the specific pieces that will be played in advance of the concert. Instead, it provides only a short phrase about the concert’s content. It has been my experience that many concertgoers enjoy playing the music in advance to refamiliarize themselves with the pieces before attending the concert.
In short, Saturday’s concert was exquisite food for the soul–an excellent performance by a remarkable pianist playing an engaging series of short pieces.
The next concert in this series is on October 26 and features Gabriela Montero playing music by Robert Schumann. Information on upcoming concerts and tickets may be found here.
A sincere thanks to Paul and Joanne Prager for making these outstanding musical experiences happen.
Maria Grant was the principal in charge of the federal human capital practice of an international consulting firm. While on the Eastern Shore, she focuses on writing, reading, piano, and nature.
Walter Simmons says
I strongly agree that publishing the program of a concert or recital in advance is essential. I am an avid classical music enthusiast, but I would never attend a concert based on who the performer is. From my perspective, not revealing the program to be performed is an insult to the potential audience (“They wouldn’t know the difference anyway.”)
Maria Grant says
Walter, thank you for your comment. Much appreciated. I have friends who opted not to go to the concert because of no published program. Let’s hope they decide to publish programs in the future.
Ronnie Halperin says
I agree with Maria Grant about letting audiences know what pieces will be played in advance. What’s being played is the major factor in my decision to attend any concert.
Sam Mcelroy says
Dear Concert-goers,
Since this article raises a good question, I would like to explain why we do not always announce programs in advance of the Gabriela Montero at Prager concerts.
It is true that, in the majority of large halls, programs are usually announced. Artists are asked a year or two ahead to provide programs in order to fit the vision of the hall’s season as a whole, and to drive attendance both from repertoire selection as well as from the artist’s individual reputation.
Since the work of the international roster of artists invited to this series is widely published on all major streaming services, and they all enjoy global reputations, their inclusion alone ought to guarantee an unforgettable experience. After all, when Horovitz was coming to town, his name would guarantee a full house wherever he played. Artists today, such as Andras Schiff and Yuja Wang, often play programs announced from the stage, even at Carnegie Hall. That way, they can enjoy the experience of playing what inspires them most at the time of the concert, not at the time of the booking. The audience, in turn, enjoys an element of surprise, knowing that artists of this caliber guarantee a great concert.
However, while the intimate setting of the Ebenezer lends itself perfectly to this more spontaneous, “salon”-like experience inspired by the 19th century concert format, we do understand the request for advanced programming, and will endeavor – where possible – to announce programs so the audience can familiarize themselves with the repertoire before the concerts. There is great value in that, of course.
I can tell you that Gabriela Montero’s solo program on October 26th, entitled “Childhood”, will feature Robert Schumann’s beloved “Kinderszenen” (Scenes from Childhood) as the central work, and a more complete program will be published on the website nearer to the date.
I hope that answers the question, provides some reassurance and encourages you to come and experience world-class music making at our series.
Kind regards,
Sam McElroy
Artistic Director, Gabriela Montero at Prager
Maria Grant says
Sam,
Thanks so much for your response. We look forward to more detailed programming in advance of the concerts. Every one of these concerts that I attended has been great. Again thanks.