out with a bang!

The Times [London] / andante - 4 July 2003

French virtuoso keyboardist François-René Duchable plans to end his
career this summer by destroying two grand pianos and burning his
concert suit to protest what he sees as the bourgeois elitism of the
classical music world, The Times of London reports.

According to The Times, Duchable, 51, told the French Catholic
newsaper La Croix that his life as a touring pianist has been "hell"
and he delivered blistering parting attacks on some of his fellow
musicians.

Alfred Brendel's latest recording, Duchable said, is "discouragingly
artificial." Maurizio Pollini has "worn himself out from repeating
the same things" and Martha Argerich has "managed to become a myth by
always playing the same four concertos."

Duchable told La Croix: "The piano is a symbol of a certain
domineering bourgeois and industrial society that has to be
destroyed. Used as this society uses it, the piano is an arrogant
instrument which excludes all those that don't know about music."

The pianist says he plans to create a sensation with his final three
concerts, according to The Times. The first concert, scheduled for
the end of July, will end with a piano crashing into Lake Mercantour.
The second will finish with his recital suit on fire and the third
will culminate with the mid-air explosion of a grand piano to make
the statement that "the concert is dead."

After the concerts, Duchable plans to strap a portable keyboard to
his bicycle and pedal around France giving impromptu performances,
the Times says.

"I have had enough of sacrificing my life for 1 per cent of the
population" Duchable said. "I have had enough of participating in a
musical system which, in France at least, functions badly and limits
classical music to an elite."

Duchable won the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Prize in Brussels at age
16 in 1973 and has received awards for his performances and
recordings of Chopin, Liszt and Poulenc.

— Michael Markowitz

La Monte said this 35 years ago. and look what happen, he came back

Paul Erlich wrote:

> The Times [London] / andante - 4 July 2003
>
> French virtuoso keyboardist Fran�ois-Ren� Duchable plans to end his
> career this summer by destroying two grand pianos and burning his
> concert suit to protest what he sees as the bourgeois elitism of the
> classical music world, The Times of London reports.
>
> According to The Times, Duchable, 51, told the French Catholic
> newsaper La Croix that his life as a touring pianist has been "hell"
> and he delivered blistering parting attacks on some of his fellow
> musicians.
>
> Alfred Brendel's latest recording, Duchable said, is "discouragingly
> artificial." Maurizio Pollini has "worn himself out from repeating
> the same things" and Martha Argerich has "managed to become a myth by
> always playing the same four concertos."
>
> Duchable told La Croix: "The piano is a symbol of a certain
> domineering bourgeois and industrial society that has to be
> destroyed. Used as this society uses it, the piano is an arrogant
> instrument which excludes all those that don't know about music."
>
> The pianist says he plans to create a sensation with his final three
> concerts, according to The Times. The first concert, scheduled for
> the end of July, will end with a piano crashing into Lake Mercantour.
> The second will finish with his recital suit on fire and the third
> will culminate with the mid-air explosion of a grand piano to make
> the statement that "the concert is dead."
>
> After the concerts, Duchable plans to strap a portable keyboard to
> his bicycle and pedal around France giving impromptu performances,
> the Times says.
>
> "I have had enough of sacrificing my life for 1 per cent of the
> population" Duchable said. "I have had enough of participating in a
> musical system which, in France at least, functions badly and limits
> classical music to an elite."
>
> Duchable won the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Prize in Brussels at age
> 16 in 1973 and has received awards for his performances and
> recordings of Chopin, Liszt and Poulenc.
>
> � Michael Markowitz
>
>
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-- -Kraig Grady
North American Embassy of Anaphoria Island
http://www.anaphoria.com
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