“I’m speechless,” I said to friend B.
“Finally,” he replied.
So: here’s the Allemande as it seemed to me today, my birthday, at 2:45 pm. It is recorded in the legendary studios of the Greystone Hotel. A couple twangy notes (no, really, I did get the piano tuned) and the ineffably poignant call of a police car are included, free of charge.
Happy birthday! Thanks for the free Bach.
Of course it would be incredibly rude to make requests, so I’ve been biting my tongue while hoping that Day 7 would culminate in just this way. Thank you for the beautiful Bach, the orgy of posts, and Happy Birthday!
I trust (or, rather, hope) you’ll pardon the impertinence, but what in your hugely detailed analysis of this Allemande caused you in performance to relegate what the left hand has to say to the region of a mere murmur below the up-front running sixteenths of the right hand?
Sounds very wrong to me, albeit in line with the typical pianistic realization of a Bach keyboard work. Or is what I’ve described merely the fault of the recording itself?
ACD
Oops: My, “running sixteenths” should have read, “mostly sixteenths.”
ACD
thanks for your present to us on your birthday. happy birthday!
A remarkably more appropriate concept of a birthday present - inverting the giver and the receiver with a hug between spirits with spirit.
happy birthday. many more romances, blogs and concerts.
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday, Jeremy Denk!
Happy Birthday!!!
Sublime.
Happy, happy birthday!
PS– do be sure to check your Myspace today…
Happy, happy birthday JD!!!
What a great present to all of us instead of a big cake from us. Thanks so much for the free Bach!!!
Happy birthday!
Happy Birthday, Jeremy! Have a wonderful year.
Happy birthday, Jeremy.
In contrast to A.C. Douglas, I actually think this piece calls for a ’soloist plus accompanist’ approach. The two hands are not of equal interest or complexity- unlike so much Bach. Which is in itself noteworthy.
Thanks for the beautiful and thoughtful playing- what a great birthday present to yourself!
I read back all your pre - birthday blogs from day 1 then this while listening to your Bach birthday music. It’s so lovely and peaceful.I had my own imagination of how did it go and ends.Somehow for a birthday treat, I felt very alone and became misty just w/ a thought of sipping a lonely cup of tea and alone eating a miserable slice of cake.
Try it folks, you’ll feel what I felt or perhaps differently.
HAPPY BIRHTDAY, Jerjer!!!!
Thanks for that, and happy birthday.
I’m fairly new to your blog, and so perhaps you’ve covered this ground before, but I’m curious as to what kind of piano occupies the home of a concert pianist living at the Greystone Hotel.
Buon compleanno!
Sometime ago, Jeremy posted a photo of his piano. I can’t be sure if it’s a grand Steinway.
I love the sound of your piano by the way. Wonder what time of the day you recorded the Bach Birthday. At work, I played your music over and over again because my colleagues love it. A pregnant co- worker of mine said, she needs to see you perform before her due time.They were working on their computer next to mine because of the enchantment you touched their souls. They did not ask what music was on but who played it and of course as your unknown promoter, I showed them your photo and advertise your blog w/ the background educ. of your biography.They were amazed for they are also chemists/biologists but did not pursue their love of music and certainly can’t write a musical blog like you. But you will be our inspiration.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEREMY! –pls. you are young as a young artist at heart!
Sorry, I missed reading that it was recorded at 2:45 pm.What a splendid afternoon of Bach delight!I wish I was in your couch enjoying my siesta but then it would not be a lonely afternoon.
What a privilege it has been to read your thoughts about this allemande–and now to hear you play it. I’ve looked forward to each installment. It’s very kind of you to allow us all to read, and hear, what you do so well. Thank you. –M.V.H.
Happy birthday!(Very late..ok) I just listened to the beautiful present you gave us…. 6:40 min of heaven.
Gracias por la musica!!!