The New Coffee Room

She turned 83 recently. Still going strong. This performance of the Prokofiev 3rd with the Hiroshima Symphony last month shows she still has incredible technique. She must have been dissatisfied with the last movement. She asks the conductor to do a "take 2"!

Trying to re-learn the Toccata from Ravel’s ‘Le Tombeau de Couperin’. Lots of notes. Playing slowly and gradually increasing tempo. Need to solidify memorization.

I and my wife have not caught Covid. We did get 2 Pfizer shots with 2 boosters. I've decided no more mRNA shots for me. Back in December 2019 I had a bad cold. My breathing problems sent me to the ER. Maybe I actually had a case of the original strain.

The lack of recognition of natural immunity after infection by the so-called "experts" was one of the major foul-ups of the pandemic. Now, it's still being used to exclude Novak Djokovic from entering the country to compete in the US Open. Totally ridiculous policy..........

Happy Birthday! Eating a Sky-Rosa to celebrate?

Larry was one-of-a kind. Although I didn't always agree with him I have to give him credit for being blunt, honest, and not giving an EFF about what others thought about him. I miss his posts on Piano World, the ones that were piano-related. His combative nature was in full display on the Coffee Room there. He didn't let up at all in this forum. RIP Larry..........I imagine you're arguing with God right now!

I'm just curious, what is the cost to replace the battery? I've heard for most EV's it's much more than to replace a gas engine.

Your new car looks really nice! Very stylish. Give us a report after you drive it a bit.

@George-K His virtuosity in the Liszt Transcendental Etudes is jaw-dropping. Especially the tempos. He's deadly accurate even when playing very fast.

@George-K I'm going to follow Lim. He can have the type of career that Yuja Wang has had. He's that talented!

The winner is 18 year old Yunchan Lim from Korea. An absolute phenom, incredibly talented.
I was stunned by how well he played the Liszt Transcendental Etudes and the final round concerto. He played Rach 3. One of the best performances I've ever heard.

@Klaus It seems the competition is more of a stamina-type contest where the pianist who plays with the fewest mistakes over a 3 week period can possibly make it to the podium. It's excessive in my opinion. I would feel most judges could make a decision about most of the competitors within 2 rounds. Also, 2 concertos should be enough!

Best wishes Jon for a complete recovery!

I've started watching/listening to the first round.
2022 Cliburn
One competitor, George Osokins, has the guts to play something off the beaten track: Scriabin's 9th Sonata 'Black Mass'
He plays it well.

Stephen Hough (now he's SIR Stephen Hough) was commissioned to write a required piece: Fanfare Toccata. It's a nice piece, listenable.

From a 1960's Soviet movie with a dead look-a-like actor portraying Lenin. The pianist, Rudolf Kerer, I never heard of. He was not allowed to tour in the West which is too bad since he plays really well. There are other scenes of him playing 'Moonlight' and the 'Revolutionary' etude. Suspend your disbelief!

@lufins-dad Think about this possibility...............Rodgers to the Steelers?

@mik Now if only the Reds would get their act together. I don't have any hopes that will happen this season (assuming the season even happens).

Cincy is now the center of the football universe: the only city to have a college team (Bearcats) and a pro team (Bengals) in the final 4!

If you had told me before the game that Joe Burrow would get sacked 9 times by the Titans I would have said there is no way they could win the game. But they did! Thanks to Tannehill's 3 INTs and the leg of McPherson. He's one of the best draft picks ever for the Bengals.

Bring on the either the Chiefs or the Bills!

@klaus I must have played the older type Schimmel upright. My reaction to a Konzert grand that I played a few years ago was very positive. I really liked it. Older models not so much.

Very nice piano Klaus! I've hardly played any Euro uprights since dealers here have a harder time selling them compared to Yamahas and Kawais. I have played Schimmels which are just OK. In which city are Grotrian's produced?

@jon-nyc And Douglas Murray. Seems the best observers of America are Britishers.....