On the subject of wild mushrooms, it is easy to tell who is an expert and who is not: The expert is the one who is still alive.
Donal HenahanIt might be argued that genuine spontaneity is not really possible or desirable so long as printed scores of great works exist. All modern musicians are, for better or worse, prisoners of Gutenberg.
Donal HenahanPianists of extraordinary talent, such as Christina Petrowska,spend a large part of their early lives perfecting techniqueโฆMiss Petrowska,a Canadian with a phenomenal ability to play the most difficult music cleanly, gave a demonstration of her achievements at Carnegie Recital Hall. A product of the Juilliard School who studied with Karlheinz Stockhausen and Gyorgy Ligeti in Europe, Miss Petrowska built most of her program around fiercely difficult contemporary works. She has fingers that work like chrome-plated pistons, and her high-seated position let her bring pulverizing power to bear.
Donal Henahan