NEWS ACCESS on Galina Vracheva’s world premiere of a newly discovered piece of Franz Liszt at Bavarian Broadcast Station (BFS)
(German – March 2nd 2011)

Dutch National Radio, classical station ‘Viertakt” (“NPS”)
Interview with Galina Vracheva
(Excerpts)

NPS speaker: Bach, Mozart and Beethoven not only count among the most brilliant composers, they were, in their time, also known as great improvisers. Highlights of a later period were musicians such as Chopin and Liszt who all with improvisations in their own style transformed a virtuoso performance into a unique experience. The last such improviser in the 20th century was Rachmaninov, and the art has virtually died out after him. The pianist and composer Galina Vracheva has revived the tradition in the second part of her recitals, after playing the great works of piano literature first, she asks the audience for themes and composes spontaneously. In her performance of piano concertos from Mozart to Rachmaninov she improvises the cadenzas.
NPS: Mrs. Vracheva, why has this art disappeared?
Vracheva: We live in a time of ultimate technical perfection; the equipment surrounding us shows up the slightest aberration. We have become slaves to these tools and miss the opportunity to create something new by leaving the trodden path.
NPS: Why do you sense the need to improvise?
Vracheva: Improvisation is the most authentic idiom of music. Only improvising a cadenza gives me the chance to express my admiration for the great composer of a piano concerto. And using this musical language in a solo recital, I can integrate the audience in the event.
NPS: What exactly is the role of the audience?
Vracheva: The listeners become active and participate in the shaping of the program, so that the main element of music, the factor time, is more directly perceived by them.
NPS: How do listeners put forward their wishes – may they whistle a tune?
Vracheva: Of course, any method is acceptable, they can shout, write a theme down in notes, even paint a picture…
NPS: I have heard that classical musicians are afraid of performing anything not thoroughly practiced and practised again – can you prepare your improvisations?
Vracheva: I’m afraid not – they wouldn’t be genuine improvisations any longer, and I prefer, frankly speaking, taking the risk of being creative to achieving technical perfection..

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