The genius-boy
 

Today he is 29 years old and he says he has always felt a child like others. However, when he was 11, made his debut at Milan Conservatory with the “Solisti Veneti” and he had the esteem of sacred monsters like Karajan, Berio and Magaloff. 

When he was 17 he got his piano diploma with ten plus and mention and he started a career that led him to play all over the world. In a few days his CD for Sony is being published. 

(He is) Very precocious – when he was 11 made his debut as a soloist at Milan Conservatory with the “Solisti Veneti” conducted by Scimione – Andrea Bacchetti today is 29 but is curriculum looks like the one of a 50 years old man. He met great personalities like Karajan, Berio, Horszowsky, Siciliani and Magaloff.

(He is) Genoese from Recco, he got his diploma at Imola Academy with Franco Scala and he is one of the most active Italian pianists on the national and international scene. He plays in the most important Festivals and he has already recorded about ten CDs (two of them with Decca).

You began to exhibit in public as a child. When you were 11 you made your debut in Milan. How does a kid live the moment of the show?

I must admit that I have secluded memories. About Milan Mr. Mormone is impressed on my mind: he made me appear for the first time for the Concerts Society. It was an important event, comments appeared on newspapers, in that time they still used to do them. I was excited. However, during the concert I was not realizing what playing in front of the audience meant. As time goes by the awareness of what one is doing changes. I have never felt a prodigy. Even when, 17- years old, I got my diploma with ten plus and mention. I thought it simply was a starting point. 

Notwithstanding your young age you met sacred monster of music, like Karajan, Berio and Magaloff. Who influenced you the most?

With Karajan was a brief relationship, we wrote some letters to each other, but he died in 1989. Berio was my master. He taught me to be monstrously strict to myself. I due to him the sense of discipline, the objective of the text and he influenced me in the choices of the store. Ha had a big charisma. 

Who do you have to say “thank you” to?

Franco Scala taught me how to improve the technique and he let me express myself freely. Hans Fazzari, the patron of  “Serate Musicali”, has always believed in me. He is rare as the Phoenix: he gave me his trust letting me play many times in Milano next to the greatest player of the world. 

You recorded for Decca Berio’s piano works, a CD that got a good success as far as selling. Still, it seems that contemporary music disappeared from concert programs. Even great musicians, after the fervours of the 70s, keep away from it. What do you think about this?

Somebody plays it assiduously. Like Maurizio Pollini or Pierre Aimard. Unluckily, the most of soloists think that people don’t like it. Instead, I feel the audience, with a little effort, can warm to it. 

In Italy no more than twenty pianists live on playing concerts. You are among them. Is this a privilege or a responsibility?

Both of them. Actually Italian artists are not significant at international level. Outspokenly, being twenty seems already good to me. 

Next year you’ll be 30. How do you face your musical maturity?

I don’t think about it. I believe one must play always trying to get better. Up to ten years ago he was more virtuous. In 1997 I played Rachmaninoff’s “Quarto” at crazy rate. The same is for Chopin’s studies. I regret the sense of risk. 

In the latest issue of Suonare News a CD with Bach’s Goldberg Variations  is attached, a monument of the last Baroque art. What does playing Bach on piano mean? And how do you behave with the philologists that ply him on original instruments?

Playing a music that was not conceived for piano asks for greater interior and sentimental resources. I have a rigorous, but free, not rigid opinion. On the piano there is a pedal, and I use it.

Contests and career. A binomial that by now for aspiring musicians seems to be unavoidable. What do you think about this?

I think they are no longer as decisive as they were before. The present “Busoni”, for example, is not so worthy as before. When Cominati and Zilberstein won it was more useful to the career. Nowadays the only competitions that launch to the international level are the “Chopin” in Varsavia and the American “Van Clibum”.

Have you got a hidden dream?