Lubomyr Melnyk

Vondelkerk
Amsterdam
The Netherlands

23rd May 2013 (2013-05-23)

RECORDING:

Type: Audience master, recorded from seat in centre of 3rd row, 6 metres from
      the PA.

Source: Factory-matched pair of Schoeps CCM 41V microphones (DINa mounted) ->
	Marantz PMD661 recorder with Oade Concert Mod
	(-18 dB gain/44.1 kHz/24 bit WAV)

Lineage: Audacity 2.0.3
	   * Amplified by 4.3 dB.
	   * Applied variable amplification across recording for consistent
	     listening experience.
	   * Attenuated audience.
	   * Added fades.
	   * Split tracks.
	   * Converted to 16 bit.
	 -> FLAC (compression level 8) [libFLAC 1.2.1 20070917]

Taper: Ian Macdonald (ianmacd)


SET LIST:

01. [03:52] [banter]
02. [11:25] [unknown]
03. [04:29] [banter]
04. [27:09] Windmills
05. [02:37] [banter]
06. [26:10] The Fountain

Total running time: 75:44


NOTES:

The Vondelkerk: why aren't more concerts held here? It seems as if it's only
ever used for the late-booked overflow from Indiestad, a loosely organised
festival of sorts, held every year in May.

That's a pity, because it's a fabulous little church with great acoustics and
a lovely ambience. The early bird is rewarded with a seat mere metres away
from the musicians, which is not only pleasant in and of itself, but no
luxury at this location, given the lack of a stage. The performers simply
stand at the front of the church, with no elevation, and play.

Of course, not every artist is suited to a church as a venue, but tonight's
roster most certainly are.

The climax of Sarah Neufeld's excellent set is a duet with Lubomyr Melnyk,
performing a piece they composed just for this occasion, presumably earlier in
the day at soundcheck. What a treat.

After the break, Melnyk returns from selling his CDs in the foyer and welcomes
us to the concert. Somewhat surprisingly, it turns out to be the first time he
has ever performed in Amsterdam; further proof, if any were needed, that he
really is tapping into a new audience now, since his 'adoption' by the artists
of Erased Tapes.

There can't be more than 100 to 150 people here tonight, but Melnyk informs us
that after years spent playing to audiences of 10 to 15 people, this concert
is very special to him.

Melnyk is a gentle soul, his manner humble and unassuming. When he talks about
his music, it's with the kind of respect and profound love that one might feel
for a lifelong spouse. The man lives for the piano.

He opens his side of the show with a 'regulator', a piece he uses to train
students in the techniques employed by his discipline of 'continuous music'.
Melnyk refers to it as "a warm-up for the piano", but it's a beautiful piece
of music and holds its own against the other works performed tonight.

Next up is 'Windmills', Melnyk's latest major work. The piece was written for
two pianos and Melnyk typically performs it by prerecording the part of the
first piano, on-site at the venue, earlier in the day. This is then replayed
at the concert to the live accompaniment of the second piano.

On this occasion, however, Melnyk hasn't prepared the part of the first piano.
He explains that he actually hadn't intended to play 'Windmills' this evening
at all, because many people are saddened by it and leave the concert in
tears. After the show, Melnyk confides in me that he has even found this
detail to be correlated with CD sales. In other words, 'Windmills' is bad for
business!

Not wishing to disappoint anyone, however, he relents and decides to play
'Windmills' after all, but in the version for solo piano.

He explains that he can't play the version for two pianos, because even though
he carries a recording of the first part with him, it wasn't created on this
piano in this venue on this day. Melnyk is at pains to stress the importance
of having "the same piano singing in two voices", and that it "has to have
today inside, baked in it". No two pianos, venues or moments in time are
identical.

From my selfish perspective, this is actually good news. I got to hear the two
piano version of 'Windmills' last Sunday in Brussels, so it's interesting to
be able to hear the solo version now. I also enjoy not having to think about
which bits are live and which prerecorded. Everything I can hear is being
played by Melnyk, right here, right now, at the piano located mere metres from
where I sit. Besides, it still sounds like four more mortal pianists.

He ends the concert with 'The Fountain', a composition from 1985. This is
another piece for two pianos, with the first part having been prerecorded this
afternoon.

'The Fountain' is a very unusual piece for Melnyk, in that it is performed
without the sustain pedal held down for the entire performance. In fact, the
first half of the work features no pedal at all.

Melnyk has held (and perhaps still holds) the title of the world's fastest
piano player, sustaining a speed of 13 notes per hand per second, yielding a
mind-boggling 93,650 individual notes in the course of an hour. I don't know
how close we came to that number tonight, but the tornado of whirling,
swirling arpeggios is still raging through my mind, long after the final note
has diffused into the church. Melnyk's technique is simply amazing.

As with the Sarah Neufeld recording captured earlier in the evening, I really
couldn't be happier with this recording. It's about as close to perfect a
document as I can imagine ever being able to make from the audience. The sound
is as pure as it was on the night. Nothing has been coloured or lost.

Samples are provided, should you need further convincing.

In order to attend this concert, I had to sell my ticket for the sold-out
Allah-Las gig taking place up the road at the Melkweg. I hesitated until the
afternoon of the shows to make my final decision of which one to attend, but
I am very happy with the choice I made.