He plays the piano for a long time, and that is important to him. German pianist Igor Levit launched a piano assignment this weekend around a unique work by Erik Satie to raise awareness of the dire situation faced by artists affected by the Covid-19 pandemic.
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The concert, broadcast since 2 p.m. local time (12 p.m. GMT), notably on the Russian artist's Twitter account, is "a silent cry" launched while the culture sector has been almost shut down since the start of New coronavirus pandemic, he said in a statement announcing the event.
"My world and that of my colleagues has been different from the one before for many weeks and should remain so for a long time" , also underlined Igor Levit, gladly presented by the media as one of the greatest contemporary pianists to only 33 years old.
The work reflects a feeling of resistance, and that is why it seems important to play the Vexations now.
Igor LevitFrom a Berlin music studio, the artist has to play Vexations by Erik Satie without interruption , "the few notes - one theme and two variations - fit on one page" but are repeated 840 times.
"The work reflects a feeling of resistance, and that is why it seems important to play the Vexations now," he added.
"I cannot guarantee that I will bring this to a conclusion (the concert). Who knows? Maybe at some point I will collapse. But I know I will be different at the end of this performance, he also admitted in an interview with Der Spiegel.
Also known for his "home concerts"
Since mid-March, Igor Levit has given "home concerts" almost broadcast live on Twitter almost every night . Also known in particular for his commitment against anti-Semitism, Igor Levit revealed at the end of 2019 that he was the target of a death threat during a concert in a city in southern Germany. He wanted to keep this concert framed by heavy security measures.
He then expressed his fear , “not for me but for this country. "My country" marked by a resurgence of anti-Semitic acts, said the man of Russian origin who arrived as a child in Germany.