And so when Fliter was awarded the elusive prize, the prevailing thought was that the musical establishment had once again crowned a new overnight success; she was, in fact, just the fifth recipient, and the first woman to win as well. But in reality, Fliter’s prodigious work had begun nearly two decades earlier. “I don’t believe that a musical career has to be easy,” Fliter says of 20- year trajectory. “It’s a necessary part of its essence to be difficult, even painful in a way, because that gives colors to what you do afterwards. It’s how you deal with difficulties that makes you grow as a human being.”
Fliter’s interpretations of Chopin and Beethoven are from-the-gut reinventions of the standard classical repertoire that have built a loyal following for the pianist around the globe. In her musical world, flawless technique and fearless conviction intersect, giving her takes on even the most familiar pieces an undeniable freshness. Both her live concerts and recorded works have garnered much critical acclaim. Now, with the arrival of her new album Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3; Ballade No. 4; Waltzes; Mazurkas; Barcarolle (EMI Classics), the rest of the musical world is being let in on the secret.
Luckily, I was recently on tour with my band in Italy at the same time the virtuoso was returning to her home in Milan for a 24-hour pause between concerts. We caught up over doppio espresso to talk about music, life, and balance.
TANGO AND TENACITY
Born and raised in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ingrid Fliter grew up in a house full of music. She speaks often of her earliest musical memories: her mother singing operas to her in the bath, her father taking her to concerts as a young child, and the inescapable influence of the tango. “I was lucky to be supported by the people who I love,” she says. “Always. My parents and my family were the main reason for my calmness.”
Fliter began her piano studies at the age of nine, and apprenticed with noted teacher Elizabeth Westerkamp, a former student herself of influential Italian instructor Vincenze Scaramuzzo. Even in those formative years, Fliter knew that her career would take her far. “I had to spend all of my life away from the people I love,” she says. “There was no way for me to develop my dreams in Argentina. It’s a wonderful country, and I’m very grateful to it for many things — but professionally speaking, I needed to grow.” Fliter moved to Europe in 1992, studying under respected teachers in Freiburg, Germany and Rome and Imola, Italy.
PATIENCE AND PAYOFF
Fliter’s reputation grew steadily during her apprenticeships in Europe, a period during which she won first prizes at the Cantu, Ferruccio Busoni, and Frederic Chopin international competitions. “I was never in a hurry to arrive at a result,” she tells me. “Sometimes I was going to competitions and not getting such great results. That was just part of the process.”
For Fliter, that process revolved more around musical exploration and growth than accolades and self-promotion. “I never knocked on a door to have a concert,” she continues. “But I admire people who do that. A lot. Because I believe you have to fight for what you want. There are many different ways to fight. But I fought silently — at home practicing and going to competitions, which very often is the way for a classical musician to be heard. And many times, it can be incredibly discouraging.” In spite of any such times, though, Fliter continues to have admirable success; in 2006, the coveted Gilmore award came her way.
Competition successes aside, Fliter’s dreams remain rooted firmly at the piano. “I think every composer who sat down with a white sheet of paper in front had a need to say something,” she says. “So you have to have exactly the same need [as a performer]. It’s a question of necessity, not to play the piano and exhibit yourself, because that’s not the point, but to share the beauty of music. That’s why I always try to choose music that speaks to me, so it’s easier for me to make it alive. It’s like telling a story, and I like to imagine myself as a character who is speaking in the music. You have to go beyond the instrument. It’s like theater.”
RE-COMPOSING
On Fliter’s new EMI recording of Chopin piano works, Fliter tries to find new stories in familiar places. “The new album has a wonderful selection of pieces on it,” she tells me. “It shows many different aspects of Chopin’s music — the entertainer side, and the deeper one as well. The darker side of his music is very revealing and touching.”
When performing classic works, how does Fliter stay true to the composer but make the performances her own? “I can only hope that I can be as faithful as possible to the composer,” she says. “The composer is the most important one. You are always underneath, and you have to be very conscious of that. At the same time, you have to make his message part of your being, because it’s like being invaded by the music, by the personality of the composer. Somehow you have to feel that you’re composing together with the composer. I hope it doesn’t sound pretentious, because that’s not what I’m trying to say. Feeling like you’re being part of the creative process is very important for me.
“So you’re telling a story that belongs to you as well,” she continues. “And I think it belongs to every one of us. Because music is about human feelings, and these composers were suffering, loving, having hopes and desperate times — like all of us. They were geniuses because they were able to put all of this into the miraculous music that they made. It’s about human feelings, and this is what I always try to put the accent on.”
THE SEARCH FOR BALANCE
With a hectic concert schedule, Fliter remains determined to find balance in a profession not usually known for happy mediums. “One of the most difficult things is knowing what to do when you are free,” she says, “because when you work a lot, you begin to think that you exist because of your work. And that’s not true. Your work is your work. And you have to always continue your research to find out who you are as a person, why you are the way you are, and who you want to become.”
Fliter’s inner work has taken her far from the confines of the concert hall of late. “It’s become very important for me to be in contact with nature,” she continues. “I enjoy observing it, and how wise it is naturally. The sense of timing that nature has — there’s no hurry. [It shows me] the wisdom of waiting for the right time and the right thing to come, and believing that it will come. I think it’s a wonderful source of inspiration, and a great example of balance.
“When you are searching for something essential, something real, “ she continues, “you might not know exactly what you are searching for, but you have to keep searching. Because, maybe after months of fighting, months of near hopelessness — you arrive, without expectation, to that point that’s just a little closer to what you were searching for. That’s why you can never stop.”
Ingrid Fliter Facts
Webpage: www.ingridfliter.com
Favorite pianos for performances: I like both the Hamburg and the American Steinways. I played many of them in the States, and when I have to choose between the two, many times I choose the American ones.
Piano on which Chopin: Piano Sonata No. 3. . . . was recorded: A nine-foot, Model D, Hamburg Steinway — I changed it at the last minute.
Choosing a piano to record with: It’s so difficult. You have to choose it in another hall — and then you get that piano in the hall [where you’re recording] and things change acoustically.
Having a rented piano at home in Milan: The problem is, since I’m always on the move, I don’t take my home very seriously. I’m obsessed with getting a new piano as soon as possible — and one of my own.