Intro
Bernard d'Ascoli
Biography
Bernard d'Ascoli
Biography
Full version
He first came to major public attention in 1981 when, following his Third Prize in the Leeds International Piano Competition, he made his London debut both in recital and with orchestra and recorded the Liszt sonata and other works for EMI.
He was soon performing in many of the world's most prestigious venues including Paris, Amsterdam (Concertgebouw), Vienna (Musikverein), Geneva, Brussels, Madrid, Tokyo, Washington and the Sydney Opera House. Bernard has performed with the leading London and British orchestras as well as with many major overseas ensembles such as the Chamber Orchestra of Europe, Boston Symphony, Dresden Philharmonic and the Montreal Symphony under such conductors as Svetlanov, Sanderling, Berglund, Plasson, Casadesus, Guschlbauer, Litton, Menuhin, Pritchard, Herbig, Leppard, Fischer and Andrew Davis.
Bernard has participated in international festivals such as Sintra, Orviedo, La Roque d'Anthéron and Besançon. In 2000 he was a special guest of the Sydney Olympic festivities, appearing at the Opera House both as recitalist and soloist with the Sydney Symphony. He regularly appears with the London Mozart Players and Andrew Parrot, with whom he has recently toured nationwide including performances at the Queen Elizabeth Hall and St John’s Smith Square.
Bernard d'Ascoli has recorded albums of Chopin and Schumann for Nimbus and has made numerous recordings as well as live broadcasts for the BBC. Linn Records has released another Schumann CD of the Quintet and other works where he is joined by the Schidlof Quartet. His affinity with the music of Chopin has led him to undertake the recording of the complete Scherzi and Impromptus and a double album of the complete Nocturnes for the Athene-Minerva label.The latter CD has been selected as an "Editor’s Choice" in the "Gramophone" magazine (March 2006 issue).
October 2008
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Full version French
Il est également lauréat des concours Marguerite Long, Bach de Leipzig et Chopin de Varsovie. Mais c'est à l'obtention de son troisième prix au Concours de Leeds et de ses débuts consécutifs à Londres que Bernard d'Ascoli s'impose à la fois à l'attention du public et de la critique. Il enregistre son premier CD chez EMI et est invité par quelques-uns des plus grands orchestres, parmi lesquels le London Philharmonic, le Royal Philharmonic, le Philharmonia, le BBC Symphony, le City of Birmingham Symphony et le Chamber Orchestra of Europe. Il se produit sous la baguette de chefs tels que Plasson, Casadesus, Guschlbauer, Baudo, Tortelier, Järvi, Svetlanov, Sanderling, Berglund, Leppard, Pritchard, Herbig, Davis, Fischer ou Menuhin.
Bernard d'Ascoli joue dans les plus grandes salles européennes, telles le Musikverein de Vienne, le Royal Albert Hall de Londres ou le Concertgebouw d'Amsterdam. Il se produit également en récital à Tokyo, Melbourne, Sydney et Washington et donne trois concerts avec le Boston Symphony Orchestra.
Ce n'est que plus tard que Bernard d'Ascoli commence à se faire connaître en France, en particulier à la suite de ses récitals à Paris et de ses grandes tournées avec les orchestres de Strasbourg, Lille et Toulouse avec lesquels il joue depuis régulièrement.
En octobre 2000, il est invité, dans le cadre des célébrations olympiques, à l'Opera House de Sydney où il donne récitals et concerts avec l'Orchestre Symphonique de Sydney. Il se produit par ailleurs avec le philharmonique de Dresde et le symphonique de Montréal. Il est l'invité de festivals internationaux, tels ceux de Sintra, Orviedo, Besançon ou La Roque d'Anthéron.
Il a effectué deux tournées en Grande Bretagne avec les London Mozart Players et leur directeur musical Andrew Parrott, et a joué notamment au Queen Elizabeth Hall de Londres. Il se produit régulièrement en Angleterre en récital ou avec orchestre, entre autres avec l'English Chamber Orchestra. Il a enfin été invité plusieurs fois au festival international "les nuits pianistiques" avec l'Orchestre Philharmonique de Baden-Baden en particulier.
Bernard d'Ascoli a enregistré régulièrement pour la BBC et, chez Nimbus, il consacre sa production discographique à Chopin et Schumann, dont il a enregistré le quintette avec le quatuor Schidlof, cette fois chez Linn Records. Son affinité avec la musique de Chopin l'a conduit à entreprendre chez Athene-Minerva un enregistrement intégral des Scherzos et Impromptus, paru au début 2005, suivi d'un double album des Nocturnes qui a reçu des critiques dithyrambiques dans la presse anglaise dont le 'Editors' Choice' dans le numéro de mai 2006 du magazine Gramophone.
Juillet 2009
Discography
Bernard d'Ascoli
Discography
2006
Chopin, Complete Nocturnes
(2 CD set)
Athene-Minerva
23201
2004
Chopin, Complete Impromptus & Scherzi
Athene-Minerva
23024
Linn Records
CKD 132
1990
Chopin, Four Ballades (G minor op.23, F major op.38, A flat major op.47, F Minor op.52), Posthumous Nocturne in C sharp minor, Tarantella op.43, Berceuse op.57, Andante Spianato e Grande Polonaise)
Nimbus
5249
1989
Schumann, Carnaval op.9, ‘Papillons' op.2, ‘Phantasiestücke' op.111
Nimbus
5170
1982
Liszt, Sonata in B minor, ‘La Leggierezza' (recently re-issued on CD)
Franck: Prélude, Chorale and Fugue
EMI
EMI CFP40380 (LP)
Repertoire
Bernard d'Ascoli
Repertoire
Concertos
| BEETHOVEN | Concertos Nos 1-5 |
| CHOPIN | Concerto No 1 Concerto No 2 Andante spianato Grande polonaise |
| LISZT | Concerto no. 2 in A major |
| MOZART | K. 271 in E flat major K. 414 in A major K. 459 in F major
K. 466 in D minorK. 467 in C major K.488 in A major K. 491 in C minor K. 595 in B flat major |
| RAVEL | Concerto in G major |
| SCHUMANN | Concerto no. 2 in G minor |
| SAINT-SAENS | Concerto No 5 'l'Egyptien |
Recitals
reviews
Bernard d'Ascoli
reviews
Concerts
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Théâtre Comoedia - 24 novembre 2007 Clavier lumineuxCe formidable musicien aubagnais, pianiste aveugle, est encore trop peu reconnu. On le conduit au piano... mais il en devine le chemin ! À tâtons, Bernard d'Ascoli s'installe, mesure posément la distance de son corps au clavier, bien au centre, face à la serrure... Il se concentre un instant et attaque ! Dès lors, rien n'arrête le funambule : ni les traits virtuoses de Liszt ou de Chopin, ni la puissance de Franck ou la fluidité des Jeux d'eau ravéliens... On ne vient pas à un récital de Bernard d'Ascoli pour voir un phénomène : on vient entendre un immense musicien. Il a transcendé sa cécité originelle pour tailler, polir son propre diamant, unique et éclatant. Assurément, le virtuose vit essentiellement pour le piano et fait corps avec lui. Il faut le dire... le répéter : nous possédons dans notre région un pianiste d'exception ! Né à Aubagne, Bernard d'Ascoli y réside toujours et dirige dans cette ville une école de formation qui promeut de vrais talents. Lauréat des concours Marguerite Long et Chopin, primé à Barcelone, Leeds, le pianiste accumule les succès outre-Manche, à Vienne, Amsterdam, Sydney, Tokyo, Montréal...
Un grand récitalLe public du Comoedia ne s'y est pas trompé : son enthousiasme a été palpable durant tout le concert et aux nombreux rappels. Un Mozart tout en plénitude sonore et intensité dramatique (Fantaisie K.475), un Liszt impressionniste et lyrique (Jeux d'eau de la Villa d'Este) et un magnifique Prélude, Choral et Fugue de Franck, subtil mélange d'élans et de retenue, ont précédé un beau programme Chopin. De la 4ème Ballade à la Polonaise «Héroïque», en passant par l'étude «révolutionnaire», son jeu a allié une indispensable virtuosité à une expression dosée où le souffle vocal préside, dans une intimité toujours préservée. Bernard d'Ascoli marie la force d'un athlète à la souplesse d'un trapéziste... Sans exubérance ni prétention, le pianiste a également présenté avec clarté chaque pièce du récital. Et ses trop rares enregistrements Chopin sont remarquables !Jacques Freschel "Zibeline" décembre 2007 Luminous piano playing
Bernard d'Asoli brought the house down at the Comoedia theatre on 24 November in a recital of masterworks. This formidable musician from Aubagne - a blind pianist - remains little-known in his native Pagnol region. He is led to the piano...and yet he could probably sense how to reach it! Tentatively, he installs himself, measuring carefully the distance of the stool, centring his body in relation to the lock... From that moment on, nothing hinders this tight-rope walker, neither the virtuoso passage-work of Liszt or Chopin, nor the driving force of Franck, nor the fluidity of Ravel's Jeux d'eau...One doesn't go to a recital of Bernard d'Ascoli to watch a performer of feats. One goes to listen to a great musician. He has transcended his blindness from birth to fashion, or rather polish his own unique, sparkling diamond. Without doubt, this virtuoso pianist has made his instrument an essential part of his life, forming one body with it. The beast in question that evening - a concert Steinway installed on the waxed parquet stage - was only there to bear witness to the sound images that the virtuoso has been accumulating in his aural and tactile memory for so many years. Let it be known - indeed reiterated -: we have an exceptional pianist living in our region! Born in Aubagne, Bernard d'Ascoli lives there still and is Artistic Director of a piano academy there, which promotes highly-gifted pianists. Award-winner at the Marguerite Long and Chopin competitions, prize-winner at Barcelona and Leeds, Bernard d'Ascoli has been highly successful on the other side of the Channel, in Vienna, Amsterdam, Sydney, Tokyo, Montreal... A great recital
The audience of the Comoedia rose to the occasion: its enthusiasm was palpable throughout the concert and for the many encores. Sonorous richness and dramatic intensity in Mozart (Fantasie K.475) , impressionistic and lyrical in Liszt (Jeux d'eau à la villa d'Este) and a magnificent Prélude choral et fugue of Franck, a subtle mixture of momentum and self-restraint. All this preceded a beautiful collection of Chopin works. From the 4th Ballade to the Polonaise heroïque, including the Revolutionary study on the way, his playing allied indispensable virtuosity with finely-judged expressivity where vocal breathing was the guiding principle ; and yet, through it all, an intimate atmosphere was always maintained. He also spoke about each work with clarity, avoiding any exuberance or pretention. Furthermore, his rare Chopin recordings are remarkable!
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| "Among the many fine piano recitalists in this and previous series, none has been more noteworthy than Bernard d'Ascoli, about whom I’m about to be lost for superlatives. This unquestionably is a world class player… The opening bars of his first piece, Mozart’s relatively unfamiliar Sonata in F, K. 280, immediately established him as a commanding performer… The musical lines in the second movement of the Mozart had exceptional clarity as d’Ascoli voiced them clearly to the fore and then back into the texture. No less arresting was his sensitive insight into Schumann’s impulsive temperament in his underexposed but multi-faceted Humoreske Op.20, or his deft touch in Chopin’s Etude in E flat minor, the latter with a quite special breadth in the central section….
If you have heard some of the vintage recordings of these works, you have not heard them much better-played, to be sure." |
| Croydon Advertiser, 27 February 2006 |
| Théâtre Toursky |
| "Jouant au profit de l’association « Voir la vie », dimanche dernier, au théâtre Toursky, le pianiste Bernard d’Ascoli à son récital toutes les séductions propres à un parcours diversifié. Depuis les festons de Variations en fa mineur de Haydn jusqu’au rafinements de la Sonatine de Ravel en passant par l’ampleur polyphonique des Préludes. Choral et Fugue de Franck et toute une splendide partie Chopin. On ne sait ce qui est le plus à admirer chez cet interprète, de la simplicité de ton, du phrasé, du registre expressif, de la fluidité comme de la puissance, du jeu des couleurs, en un mot de la richesse musicale qui s’en dégage." |
| La Provence – 27 February 2005 |
| With the London Mozart Players |
| St John's, Smith Square |
| "With a singularly physical style, d'Ascoli showed a brilliant talent which had the deftest of touches, blending splendidly with the orchestra. He well deserved the warm ovation, to which he responded with a beguiling encore, a Chopin Nocturne." |
| Croydon Advertiser - 24 October 2003 |
| Queen Elizabeth Hall |
| "d'Ascoli's playing is always special. A fine example of the dictum that pianists placed second or third in the Leeds competition have more character and artistry than most of the winners, d'Ascoli uses his long fingers to pursue the French virtues of clarity, sparkle and balance at an ideal tempo." |
| The Independent - 29 April 2002 |
| With the Sydney Symphony Orchestra |
| "Bernard d'Ascoli's return to this country to supply unhurried, thoughtfully phrased, lovingly detailed playing in Mozart's great C minor Piano Concerto, K491, required no commendation beyond its own outstanding quality." |
| Sydney Morning Herald - 23 October 2000 |
Recordings
| Chopin Complete Nocturnes CD |
| “His are deeply probing, exploratory, at times unsettling performances, yet they undoubtedly carry an underlying authority and conviction that is persuasive even – perhaps especially – when they challenge preconceived notions… Chopin’s two Op.48 Nocturnes in particular are outstanding. D’Ascoli’s rubato – often intense, sometimes counterintuitive – lies at the heart of his music making, and makes his Chopin alive and self-renewing.” Performance **** Sound **** |
| Tim Parry, BBC Music Magazine – September 2006 |
| ***Editor’s Choice*** "A revelatory, probing disc from Bernard d’Ascoli. Anyone who thought of the Chopin sonatas as comfortable, even somnolent music must think again. D’Ascoli unflinchingly plumbs the underbelly of these works, finding a deliberately uncomfortable sense of bleakness. Many have recorded these pieces, but d’Ascoli proves that there is still more to be said. And, at the same time, announces himself as a top-flight pianist." "Let me say at once that even in a heavily competitive market place this ranks among the most remarkable of Chopin Nocturne recordings… Bernard d'Ascoli goes his own heartwarming way unburdened by tradition. From him, the Nocturnes are not a world of sweet dreams but possess a troubled and assertive life… An impetuous thrust given to the D flat Nocturne’s long-breathed Italianate lines, and the sudden plunge into darkness at the end of Op 32 No 1, are two among many examples of performances of a living, breathing presence, the reverse of studio-bound … Hopefully, d’Ascoli’s most stimulating Chopin series will continue." |
| Bryce Morrison, The Gramophone – May 2006 |
| “Bernard d'Ascoli has a sound that is clear, liquescent and very appropriate to Chopin… He is a pianist who sounds at one with the instrument, and conveys the feeling that this really is his music. He plays it in a natural, instinctive way that sheds particular light on a self-generating, freely associative piece like the E flat, Op. 55 No. 2, which he describes as a ‘never-ending melody, here reaching its apogee’. This is a release whose totality upholds the distinction of its individual parts, and for anyone who loves the Nocturnes it is well worth adding to the versions, either classic or more recent, in your own collection.” |
| Stephen Pruslin, International Record Review – February 2006 |
| “How good it is to hear an artist of such exceptional sensitivity and tonal refinement in music that suits his style so well… Take, for instance, the central con fuoco passage of the F major, Op.15 No.1 (track 4, 1’20 in). Here, Pires’s bass line is so fast, furious and over-pedalled as to sound muddied. D’Ascoli holds back a fraction and delineates Chopin’s textures with more emphasis, bringing out both harmony and line to perfection. He also observes more fully Chopin’s andantino marking in the G major, Op.37 No.2, his slightly reflective approach giving an almost filigree lightness to the main semiquaver figuration…D’Ascoli employs more sparingly, but ultimately more satisfyingly, than Pires. Take Op.15 No.2, where Pires leans rather indulgently into all the main phrase repetitions, whereas D’Ascoli keeps things fairly strict until the central doppio movimento section, where he expands and contracts the phrases as the flow of the music dictates to him – very personal to each artist but entirely convincing to my ears. All the huge variety of moods within these miniature masterpieces strike me as fully realized by D’Ascoli. He rarely courts controversy, certainly not to Pires’s degree, but is fully alive to the improvisational aspects of the works… with those excellent notes, wonderfully refined pianism and a very decent recording that captures D’Ascoli’s full expressive range – as well as his beautifully voiced grand – this is a very considerable achievement” |
| Tony Haywood, Musicweb International |
| Chopin Complete Scherzi and Impromptus CD |
| “Putting on a new CD of Chopin Scherzi and Impromptus (Athene 23024), I wonder how it will measure up to others on the market. Very well, actually, with the notes seeming to glow. But its biography omits the fact that the pianist Bernard d’Ascoli has seen nothing since the age of three. I once looked over his shoulder as he played: whereas most pianists’ hands seem to do their owners’ bidding, his moved with a curious watchfulness, as though they saw as well as felt. He told me that he had no memory of sight – “The idea to me is entirely abstract” – and that he grew up with no sense of being handicapped. He didn’t go to blind school, and did precociously well in the normal system, becoming famous as a recitalist on his native Marseille at 20. The word “handicap” is not in his vocabulary; “frustration” is what he speaks of, and, as a teacher, he is adept at dealing with the frustations of the sighted pupils who flock to his home. Blindness, he says, “has led me to develop my inner ear, and therefore theirs as well." |
| Michael Church, The Independent – May 2005 |
| “Since winning the Barcelona Competition in 1978, the blind French pianist Bernard d’Ascoli has had an active career, performing throughout Europe, the US, Canadan, Japan and Australia, and with such leading conductors as Järvi, Litton, Sanderling and Svetlanov. His recordings have been regrettably few, however, though they have included impressive accounts of the Liszt Sonata, Schumann’s Carnaval and Chopin’s Nocturnes will follow. He obviously has a strong affinity for Chopin’s music and much of the playing on this disc – especially of the Scherzos – reminded me of Rubinstein’s and Ax’s. He shares their directeness of approach, firm rhythm tonal refinement and judicious use of rubato.Textures are clear, melodies are shaped with a singer’s sense of line, and inner vices are handled with subtlely. The expressive qualities of the music speak more spontaneously than in Pollini’s very polished but, to me, overly cool accounts. D’Ascoli's well-rounded technique meets every demand of the Scherzos, from the spiky brilliance of No. 1 to the bravura octaves of No. 3 and the light filigree of No. 4. Although he provides plenty of drive and drama when needed (especially in No. 2 and 3), I find that he makes a lasting impression in the more lyrical moments. The breadth and colour he brings to those passages in No. 3 and 4 is exceptional; and it’s done with dignity and inner strength, with no hint of sentimentality or fussiness. He also has a fine of sense structure, pacing the transition passages notably well, especially those that lead into the codas. The Impromptus round out this impressive disc withan ideal combination of flexibility and elegance, the variety of sound and mood in No. 2 being especially notable. I eagerly await this pianist’s account of the Nocturnes." |
| Charles Timbrell, International Record Review – May 2005 |
| “Not so long ago Bernard d’Ascoli lived in London and I relished hearing him, particularly enjoying his highly personal interpretations of Chopin’s major works. He now lives in France and I am delighted to say is recording on the Athene label. The four Scherzi, so immediately enjoyable in their own right, offer a wholly different experience when heard as a continuous set. Chopin’s choice for titles for his works, often criticised as arbitrary, show how practical his imagination could be in communicating to both players and listeners when the families are brought together by a sensitive and technically assured musician. On this well presented CD the eight tracks can be picked at random and thoroughly enjoyed individually as full blooded Chopin gems, packed with excitement and gorgeous lyricism. On the other hand, play the four Scherzi or the four Impromptus consecutively and d’Ascoli brings you as close to Chopin’s intentions as could be possible. Not that either set becomes a four movement single structure; rather do these accounts prove that each belongs to the other three and so, when heard together, bring a unique extra ingredient to the whole. Nevertheless, do play them as individuals as well as sets. Soak in Bernard d’Ascoli’s delight in flinging his deft fingers into dramatic bouts of virtuosity, yet never losing the overall shape and purpose of the musical architecture. By the way, I am reliably informed that we will soon have a double CD of the complete Nocturnes from the d’Ascoli stable. These I must hear!" |
| Denby Richards, Musical Opinion |
| Schumann - Quintet op.44, Arabesque in C op.18, Blumenstück in D flat op.19, with the Schidlof String Quartet, Linn Records CKD 132, 2001 |
| "It is good to have a new recording from the pianist Bernard d'Ascoli, an inspirational artist whose playing on disc is regularly marked by a winning spontaneity." |
| Gramophone - November 2001 |