A Mongolian Pianist? Not Yet.

Goethe Instit. Bangkok, Thailand. September 20, 2010. The only two things I know about Mongolia are that it has lots of camels (this from the wonderful Mongolian film “ The Story of the Weeping Camel”) and its pristine environment is being destroyed by China’s insatiable hunger for copper, iron ore, gold and coal. But, does it have any pianists? Judging by last night’s performance by Mongolian pianist Tsengelmaa Lkhagvasuren, the answer is “no.” After suffering through a cartoon of Bach’s English Suite No. 6 and Mozart’s Sonata No. 18, Lkhagvasuren totally fell apart performing Chopin fantaisie, which was unrecognizable. I was cheering for her to simply get through it (she had had to start twice, apologizing after the first false start), but when it concluded, I left, reducing the audience to 19. Poor thing had to be suffering more than I. Some pianists should not be playing solo recital programs before the general public. It’s as simple as that.

There is a tiny audience for classical solo recitals in Bangkok and I attend all of them in order to support the effort of the dedicated people who sponsor them. Most of the time, I’m pleasantly surprised by very excellent and enjoyable performances by artists unknown to me. There are a few exceptions, Lkhagvasuren being one of them, but as the Thai’s famously say “Mai ben rai” (It doesn’t matter; it’s okay.)

Japan and Singapore Bring Mozart and Brahms to Bangkok

Singaporean Pianist Benjamin Loh (left) and Japanese violinist Jin Matsuno (right) acknowledge applause following their Bangkok recital on September 14, 2010

Goethe-Institut. Bangkok, Thailand. September 14, 2010. Traditionally, a violin and piano recital is headlined by the violin and second-acted by piano accompaniment. For instance, who even knows who the pianist is at a Yitzhak Perlman recital? But for me, a piano maniac, the roles are reversed---I primarily listen to the piano and allow the violin soloist to sometimes intrude on the piano. Seriously, though, regardless of the fame or prominence of the violinist, a violin recital is a partnership and can only be successful if both performers are in perfect accord with each other. Also, as once progresses out of the early classical era, the piano part is as prominent as is the violin’s, and rather than it being a violin recital with piano accompaniment, the recital is a violin and piano duo.

Violinist Jin Matsuno from Japan and pianist Benjamin Loh from Singapore showed the small Bangkok audience in attendance (alas, there’s no public for this type of music here), how two musicians from different cultures can be so together in the universality of classical music. Mozart’s Sonata in e (KV. 304) was a model of clear and fluent, evenly balanced, playing. Happily free from any interpretive excesses, the sonata was anything but dry. Both performers, in perfect control of their respective instruments, combined them into a smart and beautiful rendition of Mozart as only very good musicians can do.

The Mozart sonata was followed by Brahms’ Sonata No. 2 in A, Op. 100, which I have on CD, but don’t remember hearing live before. This is a “big” work, which admits of infinite interpretations. Matsuno and Loh effortlessly made the switch from Mozart to Brahms, and gave the Brahms sonata just the right mixture of classical structure and romantic texture. The difficult and full piano part never usurped the violin and vice versa. In short, a totally satisfying performance.

After the intermission, Matsuno and Loh performed five or so short pieces, the types one frequently finds played as encores (e.g., Dvorak’s Humoresque, Gershwin’s It Ain’t Necessarily So). The final number in the printed program, Piazzolla’s Libertango, was an exciting way to conclude a very enjoyable evening. This is Matzuno’s third visit to Bangkok and Benjamin Loh's second. I hope that both return, preferably as a duo, but separately as well.

Buzz chats with pianist Benjamin Loh

Buzz’s Journal---I Want to be Reincarnated as a Singaporean

During a recent trip to Singapore, a poll was published in the Strait Times. Singapore’s preeminent daily newspaper, which surveyed attitudes towards the family and us oldsters. Here are some of the findings:

1. 98% of respondents believe children should regularly spend time and provide financial support to elderly parents.

2. 87% would NOT consider placing their parents in a nursing home.

3. 68% prefer to have their parents move in with them.

Well, it’s too late for me in this life, but there’s still a chance for the next life if I can alight in Singapore.

Buzz’s Journal---A Small Example of Thai Corruption and Lawlessness

Cement trucks begin to arrive
Bangkok, Thailand. 02 September 2010. After suffering through years of all-night noise from illegal outdoor bars on soi 11, I moved to quiet soi 10, quiet, that is, for about 90 days until construction of the hotel across the street began one year ago. Today, after a relatively quiet construction site during the morning and early afternoon, when I came home from school at 17.30, there were 10 cement trucks lined up in front of my condo building ready to start their work day. It is rumored that there are laws in Bangkok prohibiting construction after 20.00, (some people say the cutoff time is 18.00 or 18.30), but obviously they are not enforced. It is well-known that between 20% and 30% of the cost of any construction in Thailand goes to graft and payoffs (near the lower end for private construction and near the upper end for public projects). There is no way that mere individuals or condo associations can get the police to halt illegal construction after the cutoff time, because they have already been bought. In fact, Thais are so accustomed to the system that they don’t even try. Last night, construction halted at about 03.00. As for me, I lost most of a night’s sleep, but did get some rest by wearing Bose noise cancelling ear phones before going to bed, and ear plugs thereafter. While a big help in dimming the racket, they were far from a complete solution. In fact, I was wide awake when the 06.00 morning shift began.

Construction workers buy delicious meals from street vendors for about US$.80