Jeremy Denk, the celebrated pianist, MacArthur Fellow and bestselling author, joined Classical IPR on a spring morning after performing a recital at Interlochen Center for the Arts.
Denk spoke with Classical IPR's Christy L'Esperance and shared a playlist that reflected his musical taste, which spans everything from Mozart and Mendelssohn to Charles Ives and Nina Simone.
He spotlighted Anna Clyne’s piano concerto (written for him and notable for its improvisational cadenza) and historical recordings like Lili Kraus’s interpretation of Mozart. He also shared highlights from his Interlochen visit, which included a masterclass with students at Interlochen.
A passionate advocate for Charles Ives, Denk introduced vocal works performed by Jan DeGaetani and Gilbert Kalish, describing Ives’s signature blend of sentiment and wit. Their performances, he said, "make the case for Ives like no one else."
Denk tied together classical and jazz by ending with a live performance by Nina Simone, celebrating Simone's command of harmony and signature vocal timbre. “There’s a force in her understanding,” he said, “a fusion of classical training and emotional truth.”
Discover more by streaming Jeremy Denk's conversation with IPR host Christy L'Esperance — click "Listen" at the top of the page.
Repertoire in this interview:
- Mozart: 6 variations in F major on Paisiello’s "Salve tu, Domine" - Lili Kraus, piano
- Ives: “Memories” (1897) - Jan DeGaetani, mezzo and Gilbert Kalish, piano
- Ives: “The Housatonic at Stockbridge” (1921) - Jan DeGaetani, mezzo and Gilbert Kalish, piano
- Mendelssohn: Songs without words, Op. 53 no. 2 in E-flat major - Ignaz Friedman, piano
- Chopin: Etude in G-flat minor, Op. 25 no. 9 - Ignaz Friedman, piano
- Mendelssohn: Variations Concertantes, Op. 17 - Janos Starker, cello and Gyorgy Sebok, piano
- Nina Simone: "Just in time"
