Magic Moments of Music | Michelangeli plays Ravel

Arturo Benedetti Michelangeli is linked inextricably with Maurice Ravel’s Piano Concerto in G major. In this performance, captured on film, his execution of the trilled passages creates the illusion of gliding seamlessly from one note to the next as if coaxed from the strings of a bowed instrument rather than struck on a piano. It is a breathtaking display of control and interpretive freedom.

Michelangeli himself was an enigma. Exacting, reclusive and unpredictable, he was as notable for his cancellations as his appearances. The slightest flaw in an instrument or a shift in humidity between rehearsal and performance could be enough to end a concert before it began.

Still, Michelangeli’s reputation as one of the greatest pianists of his time is undisputed. Piano legend Krystian Zimerman recalls his artistic encounters with the virtuoso pianist. For Pierre-Laurent Aimard, he remains an “acoustic magician” and an enduring source of inspiration. Serge Celebidachi, son of conductor Sergiu Celibidache, reflects on the rare artistic bond between two uncompromising perfectionists. In Bavaria, Marina Baranova searches for Michelangeli’s piano, while producer Cord Garben remembers a sometimes difficult but always remarkable working relationship. Jazz pianist and devoted admirer Stefano Bollani reveals how Ravel’s influence stretches into jazz and improvisation.