Pacifica Tribune 1
Pacifica Tribune Review of Seth Montfort's November 11, 2005 Pacifica Performance
By Jean Bartlett
Arts Correspondent
Pianist-composer Clara Wieck Schumann (1819-1896) would have slapped herself upside the head with a whistle and “Shazam!” had she heard just how much music Seth Montfort could pour forth from mind through hands to piano, without the use of one single sheet of music.
Schumann, and let’s face it, that piano bon vivant Franz Liszt (1811-1886), could astound audience members with an ability to play all selections from a performance, without the aid of sheet music.
Schumann laid the ground rules for this tradition and today’s pianist, right or wrong, is often judged by their extraordinary ability to memorize genius.
So a modern day pianist might downright dazzle and stun their audience with an ability to pound out a
program which contained, for instance, revolutionary numbers by Liszt, Beethoven, Scarlatti and
Bartok. Imagine a pianist who can pull over 100 memorized works out of their head on any given day written by 50 plus composers.
Introducing Seth Montfort.
Friday night pianist-composer Seth Montfort, the founder and artistic director of The San Francisco Concerto Orchestra and International Competitions for Musicians, offered up a program to his Pacifica Sanchez Concert Hall audience, with himself in the hot seat as “Human Jukebox.”
(Well frankly he looked pretty relaxed, but his music performance was a bonfire for the intellect.)
Essentially audience members wrote the performance from a huge list of selections the pianist provided, and Montfort just performed it.
And, yes, that last sentence was a screeching understatement. Who did audience members seat at Montfort’s performance feast?
There was: Blind Tom, George Gershwin, Scott Joplin, Villa-Lobos, Mozart and Chopin.
The first request on the Montfort hit parade: “Battle of Manassas” by Blind Tom.
Born Thomas Greene Wiggins (1849-1908), Blind Tom was his stage name, came into this world a musical genius.
He also arrived: blind, autistic and the property of the Wiley Edward Jones plantation.
His ability to replay a piece of music after one listen thrilled the classical musical critics of the Civil War-era and he was equally phenomenal as a composer.
Twain wrote about him. Brahms called him one of the wonders of the world.
He wrote the “Battle of Manassas” when he was all of 13.
The piece, modern, dark and spirited requires a pianist to play cheery right hand piccolo while the left hand explodes with cluster chords of canon fire, trains of war, thundering marches and doom.
One hears: Dixie, The Star-Spangled Banner, Yankee Doodle and La Marseillaise.
One hears war.
Next played request: George Gershwin’s “I Got Rhythm.” Montfort effortlessly switched from death grip piano to champagne embellishments and Coney Island rhythm keys.
Next requests were two Joplin pieces: “The Easy Winners” and “Solace.”
Straw hat boater and popcorn fingering flowed through Montfort’s fingers on “The Easy Winners” and he played “Solace” like an eloquent carnival goodbye.
Rio de Janeiro born Heitor Villa-Lobos (1887-1959) breathed in the cultural influences of his country: Portuguese, African and Amerindian and put it to music.
He began composing at age 14 and delightfully turned the classical music world on its ear.
When he was 18 he went on a “self-described” wildly dangerous journey into the Amazon for the purpose of getting closer to the primitive music of the natives who lived there.
His 4 movement piece entitled, “Brazilian Cycle” was next played by Montfort.
This requires much of a pianist. Montfort let his fingers fall like rain and mist; seeds were planted while clouds flew by.
Sweeping into a piano waltz Montfort set the mood of street lamp and alley passion.
This was followed by keys of haughty mystery and exotic whispering. The final movement in Montfort’s hands whirled incantations and tribal freedom.
It was stupendous.
Set Two brought: Mozart’s “Sonata in C, K. 300;” Chopin’s “Ballade No. 1 in G minor, Opus 23;” and ended on George Gershwin’s “Rhapsody In Blue.”
Glissando, shadow, triplets, savoir-faire, pulse, inventiveness, dreams and life blood spooled forth from Montfort’s piano; leaving his audience wowed and satisfied.
An outstanding performance by pianist Montfort which undoubtedly left composers: Blind Tom, George Gershwin, Scott Joplin, Villa-Lobos, Mozart and Chopin roaring applause from the eternal home section.
Montfort will again play the Sanchez this Friday night with Friends of the San Francisco Concerto Orchestra.
Bet he’ll take a few audience requests if the hints are strong enough. Don’t deny yourself.