WATCH: Amazing footage of pianist Hélène Grimaud practising in her 20s!


21 July 2023
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By Ellie Palmer
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The French pianist can be seen working on Schumann and Brahms as she gives an interview to French TV channel, 'Arte'

 

Digging through the millions of videos posted on YouTube over the years can sometimes yield a gem. 

While searching through some live performances of Pianist 133 cover star Hélène Grimaud, we stumbled across this fascinating interview of her from the 1990s.

In the video, she can be seen working through Brahms Op 118 as well as Schumann's Violin Sonata No 2 in D minor Op 121.

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"I would like to try playing it without a pedal once," she says halfway through practising Brahms. "...because many passages are not entirely clear in the structure of the first movement. Much in the middle register always with an upper voice in the fifths, always this... I'll try again."

Schumann and Brahms continue to be two composers incredibly close to her heart. Grimaud is set to release an album of the two composers this September titled 'For Clara' on Deutsche Grammophon. She talks in-depth about her love for the two composers inside Pianist issue 133.

Main image: ©Daniel Stupar