"Intimacy is so important in music" • Pianist Leif Ove Andsnes • Living the Classical Life: Ep. 97 

Thank you very much, Zsolt Bognár. Leif Ove Andsnes is just as I thought he would be - thoughtful, reserved, modest - and, of course, a brilliant, generous musician.

Brilliant interview with one of the greatest pianist of his generation and our times. I’ve followed him since his first recording and love every single one - on different levels though. I connect very deeply with love of nature of his country. Coming from a different nordic country - Iceland - I feel that there is a special power in the north.

Fascinating interview with an amazing artist. Great job by Zsolt as well, who shows great respect for his guests and asks very interesting questions.

Wonderful interview.. A Nature lover and a musician is such beautiful connection.

I ❤️ the 🎶 that you make.

Another absolutely incredible interview - thank you so much for this!

Mr. Zsolt Bognar - Thank you so much for this wonderful interview with Lief Ove Andsnes, one of my favorite pianists. I enjoyed watching it. I feel privileged and glad I am going to attend Rosendal Music Festival in August 2024. It will be a life experience for me.

Thank you

The thing is is that even if you can learn something in a year and a half to where you feel like you could perform publicly you keep playing that piece for another year and it’s a different piece and you play it in five years you’re a different person and it’s a different piece, so it does it keeps changing and we chase it. As long as we don’t chastise ourselves it’s ok. it’s also very good to hear that he puts pieces down, we need to hear that from people the first time I got to the point where I couldn’t get any further with the revolutionary étude, I couldn’t let it go because I had never Heard of that concept nor let anything go before because I didn’t trust myself and it was a revelation to let some things go and it brings me to tears even to talk about it! The revolutionary étude was the first Chopin I really ever studied after a 50 year break I started taking lessons again and playing scales and found a teacher who didn’t want to listen to the scales he said just pick up an étude try the revolutionary étude and I took off. I regret not having any kind of support when I studied as a young person because I feel like I could’ve become a professional in this field and now my approach is almost frantic because I feel the pressure of my age and of time. Thank you For this beautiful interview!

I am glad that he understands that playing a little more slowly gives me a little more time to listen and appreciate the music. I wish that more pianists were as wise.

Love your interviewing style...it's a gift...I would have love to hear you interview Martha and Alicia (too late now).

Another of these fascinating "Living the Classical Life"! Period instruments or not, it is always interesting to come inside great musicians minds and thoughts about music.

I am so happy, your interviews are back on YT !

Wonderful Episode, Zsolt! It is incredible how such intimate and open conversation happens. I greatly enjoyed it. I can still clearly remember his performance of Grieg concerto with Cleveland Orchestra in the fall of 1998. Interesting to realize this was at the beginning of the major carreer he has built.

Wonderful​ interview.​ Thanks.​

Thank you for this wonderful interview. I've had the pleasure of hearing several concert performances by Leif Ove, and I will never forget his Rach 4 with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra. His interpretation of that piece blew me away. Even several years later that feeling still lives inside me, and from that day the fourth concerto became one of my absolute favorites!

I’m so happy you are back with new episodes. What a great series.

Thank you for the beautiful interview! ♥️

My first ever classical music concert was with LOA and the St. Louis Symph. Orch. playing Rachmaninov 3 in 1998. Great, great concert and left an immediate impression. It is always interesting to hear these performers discuss self-doubt and then pushing through to the next level of accomplishment. Great interview.

Re: Fast learners? Yuja Wang.

It’s really hard to understand who he’s talking about for instance at 34:20 he’s talking about a musician who is it Andre? and some thing about playing spontaneous and I can’t get it