Dave's Almost Ready To Go

I am about to embark on a huge journey.  For reasons I still can't quite understand, Tanya has happily granted permission for me to travel solo to Switzerland to attend some classical music festivals.  First, I'm going to be going to Gstaad to see Grigory Sokolov at the Menuhin Festival.

Sokolov may be my favorite pianist alive.  I heard him play the greatest piano recital I've ever attended (Schenectady, NY 1998).  Here's a typical rave review.  How often do you see a professional review conclude with a sentence like, “I want to hear Sokolov play Beethoven my last day on Earth”? I'd say he walked away pleased.  I'm too impatient to wait until my last day on earth to hear him again, so I'm getting on a plane.  Here's a recent article explaining a bit more about him and why he's so difficult to hear live.  If you Google him or search him on YouTube you will be overwhelmed with great playing and superlatives failing to describe it.  Given that he hasn't performed in the U.S. in over a decade and is fairly unlikely to do so again, this recital alone will make the trip worthwhile.

After the recital, I'm off to catch a week of the Verbier Festival, which is essentially “Classical Piano Disneyland.”  I once gave a lecture on who I thought were the three greatest pianists alive.  I'll be hearing all of them, along with several others in my Top Ten, and possibly several newcomers who may challenge them on future lists.

After Verbier, I'm stopping off  for a weekend in London.   I've reconnected with several long-lost U.K.-based friends and I'm looking forward to seeing them again.   From London it's back to my ancestral homeland of Philadelphia for a good dose of family and friends (unfortunately, the third "F" - The Phillies - will be away on a road trip).  I'm also very eager to check out the new Banana Split Tastypie.

Got all that???  I'm flying out on Tuesday, so stay tuned.