Pianist Idil Biret, discovered at age five, studied under Boulanger, Cortot, and Kempff, and became a Turkish cultural ambassador to the world By James Whipple Miller When musical prodigy Idil Biret, a lighthearted seven-year old irresistible force with bouncy corkscrew curls, met the immovable object of Nadia Boulanger’s iron will, fierce discipline, and aesthetic certainty, […]
Expert curation of Turkish pianist Idil Biret’s finest recordings, highlighting standout performances of Beethoven, Chopin, Berlioz-Liszt, and Boulez. By Jeff Distler Introduction I received a suggestion from a listener to dedicate a podcast episode to the extensive box set released a few years ago containing the recordings of Turkish pianist Idil Biret. Although not quite […]
Turkish pianist Idil Biret revolutionized Boulez’s piano sonatas, earning critical acclaim and selling 30,000 recordings despite industry resistance By Sefik Büyükyüksel This being the centennial of the famous French composer and conductor Pierre Boulez, it seemed appropriate to look back and remember Idil Biret’s recordings and performances of his three piano sonatas. In the early […]
A Turkish mezzo-soprano's journey from musical acclaim in Vienna to escaping Nazi-occupied Austria, remembered through a child's admiring perspective. By İdil Biret I had known Vahdet Auntie since as long as I could remember. I remember her climbing the stairs of our apartment building with a black guitar case and singing songs. When I misbehaved, […]
Turkish basso shares how his mother’s musical influence and operatic roles help him express emotions and connect with audiences. By Cumhur Görgün As a child growing up in Turkey, I vividly recall the sound of my mother’s voice filling my ears and permeating every aspect of my being. She loved to sing and sang everyday, […]
A young bass singer reflects on portraying elderly Don Pasquale, learning to balance humor with authenticity while performing in unconventional positions. Lying on a couch in the fetal position, pretending to be an old man, I began to learn to think less and act more. This realization came during rehearsals for Gaetano Donizetti’s Don Pasquale, […]
Turkish piano prodigy Idil Biret faced systematic industry blacklisting despite exceptional talent, vast repertoire, and millions of recordings sold. ŞEFIK BÜYÜKYÜKSEL “As long as this woman continues to perform we cannot hope to make a career. She can play everything and plays them all very well.” -Alfred Brendel to Jean-Bernard Pommier in the early 1960’s […]
Franklin’s innovative glass instrument produced enchanting sounds but had a sinister reputation for allegedly causing madness in musicians and listeners. Benjamin Franklin—the American polymath, scientist, inventor, statesman, and author—was also a musician and composer. Franklin enjoyed singing, played many instruments, including guitar, harp, and viola da gamba, and had strong opinions about music. Consider his […]
