Nobuyuki Tsujii
Do you remember the 1996 movie "Shine?" It told the story of the Australian child prodigy David Helfgott, who is driven to madness by the "unplayable" Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No. 3.
While the work was never truly unplayable, it is certainly in the top 10 of hardest piano pieces, requiring great virtuosity and stamina.
Now, please imagine a classical pianist, a child prodigy who has been blind since birth, hammering this monster out in front of a full house and Seattle Symphony Orchestra. That was our treat yesterday afternoon.
(The Rach 3 was followed by Brahms Symphony #4, another masterpiece, although poor Brahms felt a bit sleepy by comparison.)
From Wiki:
Tsujii learns new musical works strictly by ear. A team of pianists records scores along with specific codes and instructions written by composers, which Tsujii listens to and practices until he learns and perfects each piece. It takes about a month to complete a concerto.
Inspiring stuff for these troubling times.
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