I’ve only seen posters and flyers of the Baruch Performance Arts Center but I’ve never knew what it was. Entering the BPAC was fun in a way because of the spiral staircase that never seemed to end. The aesthetic feature of the stairs kept me curious to what was down the entrance. Walking into the theatre was eye-opening. The lights dimmed down and the performance finally started with a series of talks and introductions. Sara Davis Buechner came out the doors with an enormous stage presence. Engaging the audience with endless amounts of jokes, Ms. Buechner was someone that is not only talented, reserved but also hilarious. She taught the audience the history behind every piece she chose for the program which was something that I appreciated. All of the composers she picked had passed very early in their lives, nevertheless created music that lasted beyond their years. Personally, I like to watch many piano performances through videos or concerts and I noticed many artistic things that made Ms. Buechner one of a kind. Unlike other pianist, Ms. Buechner did not take as much time to sit on the bench to breathe before the start. As soon as she sat down, she started the first piece: Fantasy and Sonata in C minor by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. This aspect, along with others showed that she was a spirited performer that engages with the audience even when playing. Different movements were played one by one and I could not possibly take my eyes off of her. She plays Mozart’s piece in a very choppy way but oriented to her stylistic interpretation. Next was Introduction and Rondo and E flat major op. 16 composed by Frederic Chopin. Personally, Chopin is my favorite composer right now and I love listening to his pieces. The piece Sara Buechner played is one of my favorites and I enjoyed it very much. The beauty of Chopin’s harmony and chords resonated throughout the auditorium. Ms. Buechner played it expressively with overflowing emotions into the Steinway Grand. Then it was the Four Salon pieces by Anton Arensky. Sitting in the auditorium seats, it was very hard for me to not applaud after each movement because of Ms. Buechner’s artistic talent. However, the movements flowed continuously and I was taken into a trance. The last piece of the night was the Second Rhapsody by George Gershwin, also known as the Rhapsody in Rivets. This one was the most modern one out of the bunch and I was aching for her to start. But before she did, she explained how this Rhapsody was the most unknown out of the Gershwin’s repertoire and it resembles the loud sounds of New York City. I couldn’t wait to see how loud construction noises, chatter, and subway noises would be translated into classical music. My question was answered with the first touches of the piano keys. What looked like banging on the keys, Sara Buechner imitated the noises with aggressive staccatos and accents right in the beginning. Not only did Ms. Buechner used full force when playing, she used her whole body to express the noisiness of the urban lifestyle. Sara Buechner was an interesting character that used every aspect of her personality to engage with the audience including her piano playing. I think she will continue being an necessary figure for not only the musician community but also for the LGBT communities in the future.
October 30, 2017
From Piano to Fortissimo
amyo
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Credits
Header image by George Copeland Ault (American, 1891-1948). Manhattan Mosaic, 1947. Oil on canvas, 31 7/8 x 18 in. (81 x 45.7 cm). Source: Brooklyn Museum.