Renowned Steinway piano artist Karl lutchmayer shares with Shrabasti Mallik his love for the instrument, his Indian connect & cars
At a time I barely understood the nuances of music, I was introduced into its world. It was largely due to my family’s love for both Western and Indian classics. Growing up in a unique amalgamation of Beethoven and Bismillah Khan has now trained my ear for good music. And it was this love that drove me to Karl lutchmayer’s show at one of Delhi’s oldest hotel, The Imperial.
Playing the pieces in one of the rarest and magnificent Steinway grand piano at the occasion for the third anniversary of the classic European restaurant — Nostalgia at 1911 Brasserie, Karl kept audience amused with anecdotes which he accompanied with each of his pieces. “The beauty of Bartók is that a few of his compositions give a sense of the countryside. When I play in london, New York or in other places in Europe, people seem to really enjoy it, primarily because they are very little accustomed to a country life,” he says, before he plays a few minutes of With Pipes and Drums, a composition by the Hungarian composer.
While addressing the audience, his enthusiasm kept everyone glued. Dressed in a classic fish-tail coat, he jokes, “Since the audience used to wear them, the artiste happily adorned it, as if to give out the message that ‘we are nothing extraordinary. We are all the same’.” He then gives the audience a slice of famous Chopin’s Allegro de Concert Op46.
It was no less than a treat for the ears when he played out liszt/Wagner’s liebestod and Ravel’s Scarbo. “It is based on the poem Scarbo which depicts the night time mischief of a small fiend or goblin, making pirouettes, flitting in and out of the darkness, disappearing and suddenly reappearing. Its uneven flight, hitting and scratching against the walls, casting a growing shadow in the moonlight, creates a nightmarish scene for the observer lying in his bed,” he says.
lutchmayer has not only been playing in India since he was 14, but so in love with music that he occasionally plays the cornet “just for fun.”
Influenced by the likes of Billy Joel and Freddie Mercury, he says, “The piano has been there for over 200 years and have encompassed all the genres that music can provide. Primarily because it has a very wide range, it can absorb different styles. But I delved in western classical music instead.” He finished off his performance by a mesmerising rendition of liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 13 in A minor.
One thing that touched me the most was the pin-drop silence at the venue when he played piano. The bated anticipation of all as to what he would be playing next and the amazing ovation he received after every piece. It was the first time that I was experiencing a live piano rendition and the experience is certainly very different from the one that comes from listening to long playing records.
His fascination with the piano he says, “is nothing new.” His mother learnt to play the instrument when she was in Mumbai. “So, when we moved to England, my parents were eager to pass it on to me,” he says. Although what many don’t know is that the real reason why he took to the piano was because of his love for cars. He adds, “As a kid, I possessed tiny toy cars and parked them in spaces between the black keys of the piano. The keys made a sound and I liked it.” And then, for Karl, there was no looking back. However, he has retained his passion for cars. “Cars fascinate me, and I can’t seem to keep away from the classic ones. My current collection includes a 1968 Triumph Spitfire and my new pride and joy, a 1965 E-Type Jaguar,” he points out while adding that he keeps coming to India which is like a home for him.
PHOTO: Sanjeev Kumar