the tonic

As a culture, we celebrate music made for public consumption, but rarely do we acknowledge music that is not only made, but in the making. In light of the coronavirus pandemic, we turn our attention to the practice of music as a craft developed in solitude for centuries. In doing so, we find Bach’s music a staple of the private practice studio, where amateurs and professionals alike have found in his counterpoint a universe of self-exploration.  

Pianists spend a lot of time thinking about their feet. In this episode, we will too. Join us as we explore the history of pedaling, from their earliest, and often bizarre, incarnations, to their modern form. With over 15 tonebase artists, we'll discover why so many pianists consider pedaling the "soul," or "sole" (hehe) of the piano.  Featuring Garrick Ohlsson, Jerome Lowenthal, Gwendolyn Mok, Anne-Marie McDermott, Simone Dinnerstein, Sara Davis Buechner, Frederic Chiu, Gary Graffman, and others. Created by Lowry Yankwich; produced by Ben Laude. Visit tonebase.co.

Debussy and Ravel are often conjoined in the minds of piano students as the two French "impressionist" composers. But much is lost in such generalizations. This episode unpacks the distinct contributions of each composer, comparing and contrasting their novel uses of register, texture, harmony, narrative, and form. How did the two turn-of-the-century Parisians depart from the past, and how did they influence the future of art music? Lowry Yankwich seeks to answer these questions with the help of pianists Gwendolyn Mok, Arie Vardi, Jean-Efflam Bavouzet, Inna Faliks, and Noam Sivan. Created by Lowry Yankwich; produced by Ben Laude. Visit tonebase.co.

Tempo Rubato, Italian for “stolen time,” is an expressive device in every pianist’s toolkit. Yet how and when to use it is controversial. We explore the ways musicians have employed rubato over the centuries, and what taking time in music can teach us about freedom. Ft. Anne-Marie McDermott, Simone Dinnerstein, Andrew Tyson, Emanuel Ax and more, with recorded excerpts from Bach and Mozart to Chopin and Rachmaninoff. Created by Lowry Yankwich; produced by Ben Laude. Visit tonebase.co.  

What does it mean to live a life with a piece of music? Leon Fleisher made his Carnegie Hall debut performing the Brahms D Minor Piano Concerto, and played the piece many times throughout his life. But, in a story that is now well-worn, Fleisher developed focal dystonia at the peak of his career, limiting his use of his right hand for the next 30 years. In this episode, we draw parallels between the piece that Fleisher considered his "lifelong companion," the adversity he faced, and the constructive ways in which he responded to it. Hosted and created by Lowry Yankwich. Produced by Ben Laude, tonebase. Visit tonebase.co for more information.

Frédéric Chopin's Ballade No. 1 in G Minor was revolutionary for its time, and remains a jewel of the piano repertoire today. Touching on everything from Bellini to Cole Porter, poetry to politics, this episode reveals the potency of the piece's opening measures through the eyes (and hands) of acclaimed concert pianists Garrick Ohlsson, Emanuel Ax, Rebecca Penneys, Jerome Lowenthal, Gary Graffman, and Seymour Bernstein. Hosted and created by Lowry Yankwich. Produced by Benjamin Laude, tonebase.

The tonic: a podcast about music and the people who make it. Coming July 15!