Violinist Itzhak Perlman On Turning 70, Playing With Friends
Violinist Itzhak Perlman has been celebrating his 70th birthday by releasing music.
Susan Walsh / Associated Press
Violinist Itzhak Perlman has been celebrating his 70th birthday by releasing music. The accomplished performer recently released “Fauré and Strauss Violin Sonatas,” which includes Fauré’s “Sonata No.1 in A major” and Strauss’ “Violin Sonata in E-flat major.”
Perlman recorded the album with his friend, the renowned pianist Emanuel Ax.
“The fact that you are friends immediately takes away the tension of the relationship because you feel very comfortable with each other,” Perlman said. “Obviously, we would never suggest doing a recording together if we did not feel like we agree in principal on the way we think about music.”
While he does not identify as synesthetic, Perlman sees Fauré’s music in pastels, while Strauss’ piece appears in brighter reds and blues.
“In one my classes, in the Perlman Music Program, sometimes I do little games with colors, where I take jelly beans – different colors – and give them to a student and show them without anyone else seeing the color and then make them play the note and everyone has to guess what color the note is,” Perlman said. “It makes you work harder at having variety in sound.”
Perlman has performed several times at the White House. He performed with clarinetist Anthony McGill, pianist Gabriela Montero and cellist Yo-Yo Ma during President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009. He also performed for Queen Elizabeth in 2003.
“I’ve been there with different presidents in different parties, so I suppose that makes me a true musician, where it’s not political. It’s just an international, bipartisan language.”
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