"I'm fond of them, of the inferior beings of the abyss, of those who are full of longing."(Richard Wagner)
Here is the flyer of the 2nd edition of the piano masterclass that I will hold in Bangkok in October-November 2013. You can download it from the following link: http://ge.tt/9zKY08h?c%3Fc
Sono stati attivati i corsi da me tenuti all’Accademia Alban Berg - Libero conservatorio di musica di Pescara (1. masterclass sulla tecnica pianistica di György Sandor, 2. Sulle orme di Béla Bartók 3. laboratorio per band e solisti di musica klezmer, balcanica e rom 4. masterclass sulla musica pianistica di e da Richard Wagner). Potete scaricare maggiori info da: http://www.accademiadimusica.eu/allegati/associati/dececco.pdf
Francesco Socal: clarinets Giovanni De Cecco: piano
7th May 2013
I am on onepointfm, a very good social network for musicians!
20 febbraio 2013: presentazione del corso di pianoforte alla International School of Treviso
The pianist with the suitcase
From the Balkans to South East Asia, passing through the Middle East, the story of Giovanni De Cecco.
Udine pianist Giovanni De Cecco is a nomadic and eclectic figure, but at the same time anchored in the solid aesthetic values of classical music.
He began his career stimulated by his love for the folklore of Romania and Hungary; travelling in the footprints of Béla Bartòk in Transylvania and then in Moldavia, collecting from Gipsy musicians and peasants splendid musical gems, that he then presented to the public in innumerable Klezmer music festivals, chamber music seasons and jazz clubs in many countries.
To sum up, De Cecco’s virtuosity is limitless, because of his conception of music: he plays folk music in a traditional manner, that he acquired during his travels among Transylvanian peasants; or he improvises on Balkan music in numerous jazz clubs throughout the world (Switzerland, Turkey, Romania, Hungary, Germany, Austria) or in the footprints of Franz Liszt and Béla Bartòk he presents in chamber music seasons, piano suites composed by him, based on traditional themes. He also continues to perform his repertoire of late romantics and twentieth century pieces that are dear to him (Wagner, Brahms, Bartòk).
He has become a well-known exponent of Romanian music, performing for two Romanian Presidents. He was the only non Romanian artist to represent the country with his music in Expo 2005 in Aichi, Japan. Then he began to combine concerts with teaching, holding master classes in countries throughout the world. In 2012 he was invited twice to perform and hold lessons and lectures in Universities and music schools in Thailand. He fitted between the two trips to South East Asia a master class at Teheran conservatory in Iran.
Like Roma musicians from India, in the centuries migrated to Europe, passing through the Persian and Ottoman Empires, absorbing music, habits and customs of the people they encountered, so De Cecco retraces the path backwards, going to Romania and bringing the sound of that land to Europe and Asia; at the same time he travels to South East Asia and the Middle East, holding piano master classes, firmly anchored to the traditions of Western piano music.
His nomadism, that does not allow him to stay in one place for more than two months, is mirrored also in the concerts that he will dedicate to Richard Wagner in 2013, the bicentenary of his birth. Richard Wagner is in fact the musician of continuous modulation, of chromatism and incessant flow. It is the sign of an artist who can only find peace in continuous change, but with a firm foundation in traditional values.
Article from “Il Friuli” (10th Dec 2012)
Pianista con la valigia
Dai paesi balcanici al sud-est asiatico, passando per il Medio Oriente: la storia di Giovanni De Cecco
Una figura nomade ed eclettica, ma allo stesso tempo ancorata ai saldi valori estetici della musica colta, quella del pianista udinese Giovanni De Cecco. Inizia la sua carriera con il grande amore per il folclore romeno e ungherese; viaggia sulle orme di Bela Bartok in Transilvania e poi in Moldavia, raccogliendo dai musicisti zingari e contadini delle splendide gemme musicali, che poi presenta al pubblico di innumerevoli paesi in festival di musica klezmer, stagioni di musica da camera, jazz-club. Insomma, il suo pianoforte non conosce limitazioni di pubblico, per la natura stessa della concezione musicale di De Cecco: suona temi folcloristici secondo la maniera tradizionale appresa nei suoi viaggi tra i contadini transilvani; oppure improvvisa sui quei materiali balcanici in numerosi jazz club del mondo (Svezia, Turchia, Romania, Ungheria, Germania, Austria…); oppure, sulle orme di Franz Liszt e Béla Bartók, presenta, nelle stagioni di musica da camera, suite pianistiche composte da lui su materiali tematici tradizionali. Ma continua anche a esibirsi nei repertori tardo romantico e novecentesco a lui cari (Wagner, Liszt, Brahms, Bartók).
Diventa a pieno titolo un rappresentante della musica romena, esibendosi per ben due presidenti della Romania, unico artista non romeno a rappresentare il paese con la sua musica all’Expo 2005 di Aichi in Giappone. Poi inizia ad affiancare all’attività concertistica quella didattica, tenendo masterclass in diversi paesi del mondo.
Nel solo 2012 ben due volte è stato chiamato a suonare e tenere lezioni in università e scuole musicali della Thailandia, alternando le visite nel Sud-Est Asiatico con una masterclass al conservatorio di Teheran in Iran. Come i musicisti zingari dall’India nei secoli migrarono in Europa, passando per l’impero Persiano e Ottomano e assorbendo musiche, usi e costumi dei popoli che li ospitavano, così De Cecco compie il cammino à rebours: va in Romania e porta i suoni di quella terra in Europa e in Asia; allo stesso tempo si reca nel Sud-est Asiatico e in Medio Oriente, tenendo masterclass pianistiche rigorosamente ancorate alla tradizione del pianismo della musica colta occidentale.
Il suo nomadismo, che lo porta a non stare mai fermo per più di due mesi nello stesso posto, si rispecchia anche nei concerti monografici che dedicherà a Richard Wagner nel 2013, anno del bicentenario della nascita. Richard Wagner è infatti il musicista della modulazione continua, del cromatismo, dell’incessante vagare. Segno di un artista che non trova pace se non nel continuo cambiamento e peregrinare, ma con un saldo ancoraggio ai valori della Tradizione. Per informazioni: www.giovannidececco.com.
10 dicembre 2012
Piano masterclass @ Siam Kolkarn Ratchadapisek, Bangkok Thailand (Oct-Nov 2012).
Congratulations to all the students of the masterclass!
(Considerations about a concert held)
Programme note
1) Richard Wagner - Hans von Bülow: Ouverture from Tannhäuser (for 1 piano 4 hands)
Alberto Firrincieli & Giovanni De Cecco: piano
2) Richard Wagner - Giovanni De Cecco: Parsifal. Finale
Giovanni De Cecco: piano
3) Richard Wagner - Franz Liszt: Isolde’s Lovedeath
Giovanni De Cecco: piano
——————————————————————————
4) Franz Liszt: Mephisto valzer n.1
Alberto Firrincieli: piano
5) Johannes Brahms: Haydn variations op. 56b (for 2 pianos 4 hands)
Alberto Firrincieli: piano I
Giovanni De Cecco: piano II
—————————————————————————-
Only rarely do the paths of great men cross, creating a circle of great love and friendship, and at times of bitter hate.
Let’s begin with Hans von Bulow, great piano virtuoso and conductor.
At the age of nine he studied with Friedrick Wieck , father of Clara Schumann, wife of Robert Schumann. At 21 he became a pupil of Liszt, and married Liszt’s illegitimate daughter, Cosima, at 27, more for his devotion to his music master/teacher than for love.
Then he met Wagner and after hearing Lohengrin realised he wanted to become a musician. In 1862 Wagner became the lover of von Bulow’s wife, Liszt’s daughter. Hans von Bulow who, like Liszt, became the conductor of Wagnerian opera, piano transcriber (Tannhauser), and mentor totally devoted to Wagner, accepted the situation, realising that Cosima would be happy with no one else. Wagner married Cosima as late as in 1870, when von Bulow conceded the divorce.
Wagner had already been married to Minna Planner, whom he began to betray in an adulterous relationship with Mathilde Wesendonck. During this love affair Wagner conceived “Tristan and Isolde”, the central theme of this opera being adultery.
The devoted von Bulow, disappointed by his own devotions, will then follow the individualist anarchism of Max Stirner, the philosopher of absolute egoism. Few years before he had had to leave his wife to Richard Wagner, a follower of Bakunin’s socio-anarchism. Wagner will then give up any form of revolutionary socialism to become a convert to Shopenhauer’s philosophy, approaching Buddhism and Oriental thought. In this he was greatly influenced by Liszt, who encouraged him to abandon revolutionary politics and to dedicate himself totally to music. Liszt himself, the great seducer and lover, will follow a similar path, deciding to become a Franciscan monk in the last years of his life.
Wagner the man, a prophet of socialist altruism in his youth and of mysticism of compassion in adult life (Parsifal), with his irresistible charismatic personality, bent to his will women, musicians, philosophers, founding a sort of religion of his own art, whose temple was in his house in Bayereuth, Villa “Wanfried” (“Peace/freedom from delusion/madness”, in German).
The most anti-semithic musician in history availed himself of many Jewish talents, among whom the great conductor Felix Mottl. After all, in his “incoherent coherence”, he declared: “I decide he who is a Jewish!”
As we have seen, great men can reach the highest peaks of meanness. And thus von Bulow, from ardent supporter of Wagner, will become the most fervid follower of Brahms, the musician whom the aesthetics of the period had opposed to Wagner. He met him, strangely enough, in 1870, in the same year of his concession of divorce to Cosima and her marriage to Wagner. One worry drives out another!
And here the circle closes with Brahms, the devoted friend (lover?) of Clara Schumann, the wife of Robert Schumann and the daughter of von Bolow’s first music teacher. With her Brahms will perform, for the first time, his Variations Haydn op 56b for two pianos.
Friulian De Cecco piano professor in Thailand.
Pianist Giovanni De Cecco, 37 years old, from Udine, just back from Iran, where he held a masterclass at Tehran Conservatory, between October and November is now in Bangkok, Thailand, for the first piano masterclass at the European level in that country.
In Thailand it is the first time that a European artist has been involved as a visiting professor in such a large-scale didactic and artistic project.
The Yamaha Siam Kolkarn Ratchadapisek school, run by Director Tanyalux Luangvishut, is the seat of this masterclass, which was organized by the sicilian pianist, harpsicordist and composer Alberto Firrincieli, ambitious pioneer of didactics of music at the European level. Firrincieli, who has been living in Bangkok for years, is the founder of the first harpsichord and ancient music school in Thailand, as well as Professor of counterpoint and history of music in the prestigious Assumption University. With him De Cecco will also perform in several concerts for two pianists (music by Brahms, Liszt and Wagner).
“Thailand” says De Cecco “is a country with an enormous interest in the tradition of the great European classical music. We can say that, if South Korea, Japan and China are already offering a promising piano school which is equivalent to Occidental standards, Thailand is surely the next country which will give us new talents.”
Siam Kolkarn Music School
proudly presents
PIANO MASTERCLASS
Maestro Giovanni De Cecco
… in order to promote studies and connections with internationally renowned teachers and to create valuable opportunities for musicians…
Bangkok, 22nd October - 17th November 2012
Activities:
- 2 hours of individual class per week for each student (8 hours in total) – Class will be scheduled according to availability of students.
- 2 hours of group classes per week (8 hours in total) – we will watch and comment videos and other educational documentaries about piano technique, historical performances and great performers of the past, comparing different recordings and interpretations of the same pieces.
- 1 extra collective class held by M. Alberto Firrincieli about harpsichord and piano technique using a real harpsichord.
- free entry at De Cecco-Firrincieli duo concert (discount 50% for auditors)
- rehearsal and students final concert.
- Certificate of attendance.
At the masterclass will be accepted no more than 10 effective students, according to the date of enrolment. Nolimits to auditors
Each effective student will have to prepare a maximum of 3 single piano pieces or 2 sets (sonata or suite). Any Baroque, Classic, Romantic or Modern piece is accepted.
When:
The Masterclass will be from 22nd October to 17th November 2012.
Location:
Siam Kolkarn Ratchadapisek Music School – Fortune town, underground fl. (MRT Phra Ram 9) - 2 pianos room for individual classes; auditorium for performances and group classes
Deadline for admissions: 31st September 2012
Fee:
Effective students: 15,000 Baht - Auditors students: 1,000 Baht
Each effective student must pay 10,000 Baht (not refundable, except in case of cancellation of the masterclass) before 30th of June and 5,000 Baht on the first day of the masterclass. Cash payment can be made any day to the secretary of the school.
Extras:
a) a personal kit (prepared by M° De Cecco) with educational materials will be provided to each student. Students should communicate the selected music at least 4 weeks before the beginning of the masterclass, in order to let M° De Cecco prepare the kit in advance.
b) A facebook group will be created for students. A new and immediate way to communicate with the teacher. During and after the masterclass.
c) A discography and bibliography will be provided to students.
For info please contact info@albertofirrincieli.it
or call 0875601591
Next event: 26-28th June 2012. Piano Masterclass at Tehran Conservatory, Iran
For info please write to music@tehranconservatory.com
or call +9821-88913010
Extract of the very first workshop of klezmer/gypsy music in Thailand. I held it in Bangkok at Silpakorn University in Jan. 2012, with the students of Composition class of Prof. Anothai Nithibon. The students were very sensitive and in two hours they did a great job!
