A Life in Music, with Pianist Jerome Lowenthal

Cultural Mixtapes

In 2019, I went to New York City for 24 hours. I told my high school teachers I was sick, postponed two tests, and asked for an extension on a project; all because Jerome Lowenthal had agreed to give me a piano lesson at the Juilliard School. On a cold New York Winter Night, I went to his studio and he heard me play Bach and Beethoven. We went on for an hour as he corrected my interpretations and offered me ideas that wouldn’t have occurred in my wildest dreams. A little after 9:15 PM he admitted that he needed to go eat dinner and left me to explore the world of these two composers.

Since that day, and from the beginning of Cultural Mixtapes, I knew I wanted to speak to Jerome Lowenthal. At 91, he is entering his 33rd year on the Piano Faculty at the renowned Juilliard School, and maintains a busy performance and touring schedule, as you’ll see from the interview. The premise of the interview was very simple: After listening to his recordings and performances online, as well as videos of him teaching students, I wanted to hear him speak at length about his artistic philosophies.

The question of interpretation, whether that’s novels, poetry, or music, has been central to this podcast. Classical music interpretation is a behemoth of art. And if you’re not too familiar, it’s simultaneously historical and ephemeral. An interpretation of a great composer’s music is built upon history and musical theory, but it’s also a semi-instinctual shaping of sound to match taste. Interpretations vary and can change over time, and because of the nuance with which one can speak about it, I think classical music provides a beautiful window to study art-making at its highest levels.

And this conversation proved to be exactly that. We dive into Mr. Lowenthal’s musical upbringing, as well as instances that shaped his artistic opinions, but for the majority of the episode, you’ll hear him talk about the act of interpreting music and art and interpret specific questions from the classical repertoire in real time. He draws upon history and memory and decades of experience to service the composer but most importantly, service the music itself.

This conversation is a bit esoteric if you’re not a musician. We mention many composers and pieces, as well specific intricacies of piano playing. But I encourage you to keep listening even if you’re lost amidst the names and terms. Because while Mr. Lowenthal is reflecting on his life in music, we start to see other ideas emerging, about the purpose of artmaking, and the meaning that can be derived from synthesizing different art forms. This interview is a love letter to music and a statement of artistic ideas that transcend time, genre and history.

A quick note: there were many instances when Mr. Lowenthal played the piano, but unfortunately due to zoom audio and internet issues, they were not audible. I have inserted a couple of recordings of his performances, in between the interview, but all the music that we discuss is listed in the show notes.

Juilliard Faculty Bio

Selected Recitals

New York 2022 (Chopin)

90th Birthday Recital (Hammerklavier)

91st Birthday Recital

1968 Rachmaninov Rehearsal

Composers, Performers and Pieces Mentioned

Johann Sebastian Bach

- French Overture

Ludwig van Beethoven

- Hammerklavier Sonata Op. 106

Fryderyk Chopin

- Bb Minor Sonata Op. 35

Jan Pieterszoon Sweelinck

- 6 Variations on "Mein Junges Leben hat ein End"

Alexander Scriabin

- Sonata No. 6 Op. 62

Sergei Rachmaninov

Sergei Prokofiev

Béla Bartók

Camille Saint-Saëns

Olga Samaroff

William Kapell

Eduard Steuermann

Alfred Cortot

Ursula Oppens

Other Miscellaneous References

Howards End by E.M. Forster

Marcel Proust