Episode 11: Philip Fowke
Welcome to episode eleven of FORTE Podcast!
British Concert pianist and teacher, Philip Fowke, was very kind in giving me his time to reflect on his life with music and other areas unspoken. It was nothing but a true privilege to be face-to-face with a renowned and sought-after pianist. There were wisdoms and experiences of his that left an indelible mark. I'll never be the same musician and ever forget this moment.
Fowke has graced many prestigious concert halls worldwide and collaborated with many renowned conductors such as Sir Simon Rattle, Vladimir Ashkenazy and Gennadi Rozhdestvensky. He has recorded for labels such as EMI, Lyrita, Unicorn, Chandos and Naxos, involving a wide repertoire of concertos and solo works, of Rachmaninoff, Chopin, Hoddinnott, Delius, Addinsell, and many more. He has an affinity to piano concertos and has forged an illustrious career in this domain. Below is an example of his dynamic and unparalleled tonal quality in his piano playing.
Fowke's and Rattle's Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no.3 (1st Movement) performance: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ldeyN...
Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no.3 (2nd Movement): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPbbs...
Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto no.3 (3rd Movement): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89mlX...
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Timestamps:
(0:32) Retirement
(1:47) Other interests
(3:59) What does 'Talent' mean?
(8:02) Fowke's teacher, Marjorie Withers
(9:48) Thoughts on being a pianist
(12:58) Gordon Green at the Royal Academy of Music
(14:22) Talent & Enjoyment
(18:11) Competitive & Assessment Culture
(21:32) Noise
(24:50) Practising the piano with the lid closed
(26:38) Technology
(28:15) The Tyranny of Choice
(33:47) Concerto Playing
(39:36) Fowke's Transcendental Moment
(41:39) The call from the BBC
(44:14) Fowke's dynamic new agent
(45:53) Claudio Arrau
(46:53) Learning Chopin's E Minor Concerto, Strauss' Burleske and Weber Konzerstück in 5 weeks
(50:20) Recording career
(55:56) The love of teaching
(58:31) Death and other motivations for Hard Work
(1:03:30) Repetition is dangerous
(1:05:42) "You mustn't practise until you get it right; you must practise until you can't get it wrong" - Gordon Green
(1:11:29) Approach to Practice affecting other areas of Life
(1:16:44) Music's Effect on Love & Friendship
(1:24:26) "Performance is a lottery"
(1:27:42) Shura Cherkassky
(1:37:07) Eileen Joyce
(1:41:30) Piano pieces fitting like a 'warm glove'
(1:42:33) Music at a funeral
