More on Chopin

Ms. Ines Irawati's response in The Jakarta Post (Aug. 29) to my letter (Aug. 24) came as a surprise, because reviews or opinions on music, theater and film seldom get a reaction in the newspaper. I wish to express my appreciation for her courteous and sincere letter.

I quite understand that for a soloist performing with an orchestra, the most important thing is perhaps the exposure, and also the rapport to be created with the partners of the orchestra. The fame of an orchestra is not always of primary importance for the soloist involved.

What I object to is the habit of organizers to make a long list of references, diplomas and prizes (sometimes omitting to mention what prize exactly has been won) as a testimony of the capabilities of performers, because I do not think that the longer the list, the better the performer is. There is no denying that performers need some promotion, how would the public otherwise know about them? But it would suffice to give some key data to serve as background.

A good interpreter of Chopin is hard to find. I think Chopin was a many-faceted composer despite his predilection for one instrument, the piano. He was "romantic" in the sense that he belonged to the Romantic period but I have no knowledge whether he was romance-prone. The beauty of Chopin's lyrical side finds expression, for example, in the first movement of the B minor sonata. I once heard it when I was standing in a garden while a concert pianist was playing in a hall with open windows, thankfully free from the hum of air-conditioners. The effect of Chopin's singing line was overwhelming. One easily associates that aspect with Bellini's operas where bel canto singing dominates. The D-flat major Nocturne has a similar impact and is somewhat eerie too. Chopin was presumably inspired, to some extent, by Irish composer John Field who wrote Nocturnes before Chopin did. These are two examples of the "romantic" impression Chopin may create.

But there is much more in Chopin. I agree with Ines that with Chopin the essential is certainly not merely the notes themselves. He is gloomy in some Mazurkas, vehement in some Preludes, incomparable in all his Etudes, delightfully subtle in Scherzo No. 3, intricate and miraculous in Waltz Op.42, youthfully virtuosic in his early opuses.

The only problem with Chopin is that too many pianists try to play his compositions with awkward results. Once in a while there is a musician with pianistic ability who manages to shed light on this unique composer.

S. HARMONO

Jakarta