pianist Ivo Janssen's calling it quits

[Herman]

Today I read an interview in a Dutch newspaper, with pianist Ivo Janssen announcing he's putting an end to his concert career.

He's got a progressive disease affecting the joints of his fingers. According to Janssen he can still play Bach, and better than ever, but no Rachmaninoff anymore, and he's decided to get out before it's too late. He's fifty five years old now.

Another reason he's calling it a day is it has become harder and harder to make a living as a classical music artist since (apparently) 2010. Fees have shrunk and you don't give as many concerts anymore. For some reason he has never opted for supporting his concert career by teaching students, like so many do.

He lives on a houseboat in Amsterdam which he turned into a living and recital space ten years ago. He wants to do more of that type of work for a living in the future, and I wish him good luck.

[Mandryka]

Poor chap, it must be hard for him. Anyway your post prompted me to listen to a couple of things, the Void  Ludus Tonalis and the start of WTC 2 - he's  very good when the music's contrapuntal at making a duet or a trio of the voices, of giving the impression that they're all interacting. It's a shame that they'll be no more recordings but a Jazz/Classical houseboat venue sounds like it could be good. Janssenbeton. I'm going to Utrecht in a couple of weeks for the Early Music festival and I just may nip over to Amsterdam and check out if there's anything happening there.

[milk]

I also like what he does with the voices/counterpoint in his partitas and WTC. And his Bach recordings are bass-heavy. I like the way he makes the piano sound. I was just comparing him with Schepkin who makes everything thinner and less pronounced.