Mood:  happy

"A little Madness in the spring is wholesome even for the King." (Emily Dickinson)

No, it wasn't a joke, honestly. I did record for the broadcast and it was pretty nice experience, as one could expect. I'd like to thank very much especially Mr. Reznicek for his exceptional contribution for that record as an engineer and to Mr. Hlavac, the producer for signing me. Couldn't be grateful enough, I hope my recording will serve nicely for the classical music archive of the Czech Broadcast.

I already put more pictures online, including those from the Pustina Tour. Would like to put more from recent Parkinson benefit, too. Soon there will be also interesting news about our Duo (with Josef), check about them at our official pages http://skarka-pohl.tripod.com

Also I started upload videos on Youtube. Try to find them in collection of user "pohlpiano" (me, of course).

The spring has come and I have to concentrate on my bachelor thesis... Hope after finishing it I could at least for a while open my eyes and heart to the beauty of the nature again. Wish you all the best and thanks for all your kind messages. See you, R.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 5:30 PM MEST

Updated: Wednesday, 3 October 2007 11:57 AM MEST

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Mood:  bright

"Secret of creativity is to hide your sources." (Albert Einstein)

Dear friends and fans,

I just put some recordings from my recital. Hope you will like them,I put only Chopin Sonata, Janacek Violin Sonata and Mozart Variations. If you are interested in the others, just write me. Find the MP3's in the Multimedia section at http://richard.pohl.tripod.com

Dussek was so interesting for the scouts that they asked me to record it for Czech Broadcast. Quite exciting about that now, wish me great luck. Will do all the sessions on Wednesday.

I hope to upload also more pictures to the gallery soon. I forgot to mention that I already switched to the Tripod Plus service (they finally started to offer 1GB disc space; otherwise I would switch to another host). So I can offer you more multimedia features in the future.

Wish you sunny Sunday, R.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 12:30 PM MEST

Updated: Sunday, 7 October 2007 12:49 PM MEST

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Mood:  celebratory

"Men who for truth and honor's sake
Stand fast and suffer long.
Brave men who work while others sleep,
Who dare while others fly...
They build a nation's pillars deep
And lift them to the sky."  (R. W. Emerson)

So my time came and I did my recital finally... It was just, just a pleasure of music, the feeling of giving and receiving; all that magic energy that kind of concert should cosist of. I would like to enjoy such experience more often, honestly...

Well, to be clear - the first half was a bit nervous and I even did some false notes and such; but the second one lifted everything up and escpecialy Chopin was excellent. Of course Janacek went pretty well, too - so many thanks to Jolana (as well as David, who did great job for me in Mozart). 

I put here some pictures - there shoud be also some videos, maybe I will share it via Youtube again. I hope you noticed there is already once older video clip with me playing Liszt's Etude No. 10. As you know, recordings are available in the Multimedia section.

Oh, I like that times after the concerts.. Will enjoy some rest now, but then will prepare for the concerts with my singers and so. Well, that
s our life and we should be thankful for kepeing all the things how they are.

So have a good time with the best music and see you soon. 

Posted by Richard Pohl at 12:02 PM MEST

Updated: Sunday, 7 October 2007 11:17 AM MEST

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Mood:  incredulous

http://richard.pohl.tripod.com

Everyone is warmly invited to my Bachelor Recital at the Janacek Academy of Music in Brno.

Featuring Jolana Dvorakova (violin) and David Schmied (piano) as the guest artists.

Recital programe:

Mozart: Variations in F major "Salve tu Domine" KV 398, Rondo in A major KV 386, Bach: French Suite in G major BWV 816, Dussek: The Sufferings of the Queen of France op. 23; Chopin: Sonata in b minor op. 58, Janacek: Sonata for violin and piano.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 4:19 PM MEST

Updated: Wednesday, 21 March 2007 12:11 PM MEST

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Mood:  sharp

"The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly."  (Buddha)

So finally we show up! The long-time announced festival becomes reality tommorow. So wish us good luck, attend our concerts and enjoy the music.  I am sure you will since we have great artists and the most charming repertoire.

For more information, please visit www.jakubpustina.cz

I have a good deal of hardworking these days, so I unfortunately don't have time for longer message.  Wish to write more soon, I also plan to publish here a brand-new invitation card for my upcoming recital at the Academy.

Hope to meet you all at the tour!

Posted by Richard Pohl at 12:26 AM CET

Updated: Sunday, 7 October 2007 1:18 PM MEST

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Mood:  lucky

"All men dream, but not equally. Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds, wake in the day to find that it was vanity: but the dreamers of the day are dangerous men, for they may act on their dreams with open eyes, to make them possible." (T. E. Lawrence of Arabia)

Yes, dreams sometimes come true. And our dear professor Hnat's dream just became reality - his recordings are finally released. Under license of Supraphon there will be available his millstone reading of Hammerclavier Sonata (still unsurpassed among Czech performances) and more over, there is a brand-new CD with music of Schumann, Brahms and Klusak.

We got together in Prague (his former pupils) to celebrate the releases and give them "baptistic" wishes for their future. Hope they are going to be selling well since they are really ot the highest quality. I plan to make up some kind of advertisement, maybe here or somewhere on the web. If you are interested in those rare discs, just contact me and let me support your order.

I like especially the sound of the new one. It was casted in the St. Lawrence Church of Prague, which I know myself very well as I have had some pleasant playing there recently. But Hammerclavier is a classic, of course.

Now I must take care of progressing on my repertoire, so see you soon. And check out the new Interactive Last.fm Player I did put on the MP3 section. I hope it would make my playing comfortably accesible for you. Thanks for all your nice messages, I appreciate them much.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 10:14 AM CET

Updated: Tuesday, 20 February 2007 12:13 PM CET

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Mood:  rushed

"Art is a jealous mistress, and if a man has a genius for painting, poetry, music, architecture or philosophy, he makes a bad husband and an ill provider." (R. W. Emerson)

Oh, just did a little anniversary celebration and should prepare for another one. We are going to have some meeting with our dear prof. Hnat tommorow in Prague. Looking forward to that since I haven't seen him for ages. Hope he is good health and his concerts are carrying on well.

We did a couple of gigs with Jakub and Lucie performing in Velka Bites and Hranice. There was quite warm audience, I enjoyed that. Now should focus a lot on my chamber music - we received some training on Janacek recently so I hope we can improve on that a lot.

And with Pepa we were invited to perform at the celebration chamber concert at Brno-Modrice Town Hall. Hope it's going to be a highlight of our upcoming concerts.

And I was glad to hear the invitation cards for my Bachelor recitals are set up for the preview. After we discuss it and make final version, will post it here for, certainly.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 10:00 PM CET

Updated: Friday, 9 February 2007 10:14 PM CET

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Mood:  a-ok

"Music is the space between the notes."  (Claude Debussy)

Well, we did it. The sessions went very well, although we experienced few struggles with the technology (as one could expect). Nevertheless, we made up a decent deal of work, making some tracks even on one or two takes. I must honestly thank to the sound engineer which did really serious, highly ranked job with the both mastering and directing our music.

At first we were rehearsing /Sunday afternoon/. We did just a couple of pieces realizing we can go through without problems. Just a pleasure to work with real professionals. The takes themselves took place on Monday in Jamy Studio near Zdar. Then we worked on our tracks, consultation our sound and the performance direction with the engineer. He appeared as true professional suggesting often with the improvement of the strucutural or sound balance and kindly helping the singers with finding precise pitch. We worked with just few little breaks for the whole Monday, finalizing the session around midnight.

But the resulting fruit was quite satisfying. Me and Jakub went on Friday to join the mixing and mastering process (Linda was already back at home to please her Slovakian fans) and listened to the all tracks with grateful feeling of well-done job. We decide to put 16 tracks on CD (Funiculi was discarded since it didn't fit and we were not satisfied enough with that track, feeling her tender mezzo-soprano voice doesn't reach its greatest position among that piece). Anyway, some of the tracks (Valentine, Ouvre ton Coeur, Figaro...) were impressive without any doubts.

The CD will be released before 20th of February to be prepared for selling during the Tour. We will do few gigs even before that, but with different repertoire and another guest. I also will perform more solo pieces and work intensively on preparing my solo recitals.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 7:06 PM CET

Updated: Monday, 18 June 2007 12:08 PM MEST

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Mood:  lyrical

"You are the music while the music lasts." (T.S. Eliot)

Wow! We've got a second Christmas! Actually, almost the first for the first was only a bit of snow... Now we recieved a real bunch. I like it. Reminds me allways Gould and his "Idea of North". Well...

The yeasterday's Mendelssohn concert was just a pleasure. All my friends did a great job, especially I was surprised by the girls; that boys are allways precise I don't need to emphasize at all.  I have worked more on Bach this time, it needs reparations and also did couple of details on my Mozart. Now I switch back to my accompaniments. Wish me a success, we will have reahersals tomorow and all the studio takes on Monday.

And the music is flowing, amazingly blowing; my way...

Posted by Richard Pohl at 1:05 PM CET

Updated: Sunday, 7 October 2007 1:20 PM MEST

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Mood:  happy

"Music is a discipline, and a mistress of order and good manners, she makes the people milder and gentler, more moral and more reasonable." (Martin Luther)

What am I talking about? The concert of the year...? Well, I should call it like this, more over - that was one of the concerts of the lifetime. The Bach's Well-Tempered Piano, musical millstone, central piece of baroque (not only) keyboard art, our Old Testament. And being performed as beautifully as possible, with such sense of clarity and masterfull insight that I was as overwhelmed I barely could speak after the recital. Mr. Jirasky had real success, I guess the best which you could expect for Brno artist in Prague (who's from Brno should now what I mean).

We all had memorable experience and I also received another autograph into my collection from important concerts of my teachers. I guess I could once make a little page here about them to inform the world about their contribution to the world of art.

I will spend two days here in Prague without my piano, but then I should work hard with both my exams and my studio sessions (will take their place next weekend). So - wish me good luck.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 8:05 PM CET

Updated: Saturday, 27 January 2007 2:22 PM CET

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Mood:  lazy

"Early to bed and early to rise makes man healthy, wealthy and wise" (Benjamin Franklin)

I need a rest... EXaminations were EXhausting, fortunately I EXcelled and EXtended my A mark-period... But now being tired enough, I should continue with preparing my repertoire. Next week going to have some studio sessions, so wish me creative mood.

This Saturday will my new professor have a great recital in Prague (at the most important venue of Rudolfinum, in Dvorak Hall)! Whole Bach's Tempered Piano Vol. I... I admire him really, that's what I call an artist. But thank you all who sign my guestbook - you can also comment here or even discuss...

And what more? Not only pleasant things happen... Will attend second funeral in my life just after I attended the first. And such great personalities of art.

But as I believe - Ars longa, vita brevis! So - concentrate on both in order to flourish the both. But at least this day will go sleep sooner, I promise...

Posted by Richard Pohl at 5:17 PM CET

Updated: Saturday, 27 January 2007 2:23 PM CET

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Mood:  on fire

"Education is what survives when what has been learned has been forgotten" (B. F. Skinner)

Preparing for quite hard exam from the Pedagogy. Wish me good luck tommorow!

The site was considerably renewed, hope you like the new organization of the design. I also added few new photos, check out in the Gallery.

And good news - me and Josef (Duo Skarka-Pohl) were chosen to be added to the Czech Music Dictionary! Quite delightful and really unexpected honour...

Now back to Mr. Comenius. Please sign my guestbook, if you are visiting. And perhaps you can leave a longer message there, I really want to listen to your opinios either on my site or my performances. All the best to you all ;) 

Posted by Richard Pohl at 10:20 PM CET

Updated: Monday, 18 June 2007 12:09 PM MEST

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Mood:  quizzical

OK, and the future came - and became present and then moves to past... Past years, decades, centuries... And now there's me looking for my own destiny.

Of course - the music still goes on. There was really nice Christmas series - both benefits and commercial events. The benefits included traditional concerts in Olomouc and Jesenik, and there was also Prague concert, on which I did participated - particulary pleasant was Olomouc event, as allways.

And I should announce one important new - i started to collaborate with Jakub Pustina and there will be a good deal of concert touring with him for upcoming season. We already cooperate on some concerts (Christmas and Latin repertoire) and was quite succesfull. So I have the best hopes for expected operatic festival found by him (will take its place in March next year).

And with Josef we of course work on song recitals - we were invited to perform at the Dvorak museum. Looking forward to that, I've been admirer of that composer for so many years...

And the future? Of course my recitals are coming. So I should improve Chopin, I am still far from be satisfied with it.

Ok - back to work... We live only once ;o)

Posted by Richard Pohl at 6:36 PM CET

Updated: Saturday, 27 January 2007 2:25 PM CET

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Mood:  chatty

"To accomplish great things we must dream as well as act" (Anatol France)

What did happen in the meantime?

Continuing working, especially on Chopin's sonata and Janacek violin sonata (both almost completed), and preparing Christmas concert series. Also I should buy some gifts, finally... I work with my new teachers, and I was very warmly received. This elite class should be quite stimulating - seems I'm heading to great deal of challenges and must admit I really like that feeling.

Amd I experienced some interesting concerts... I appeared on the stage with Frantisek Jirka, I did recital with Lucie Slepankova (singer) and made some interesing contacts. In the next season there could be some nice touring, will announce it here soon, hopefully. I also heard my new teacher Jirasky performing Lejsek's piece which I should learn sometimes, too (already having score since I received it from the composer).

And I also should start to think more about my diploma thesis... Time passes faster and faster (as allways).

Posted by Richard Pohl at 9:09 PM CET

Updated: Monday, 18 June 2007 12:10 PM MEST

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Mood:  a-ok

I made some new photos from the ISA Summer Academy available in the Gallery. Soon I hope to post the others somewhere on the web - I will put here a link then, for sure.

Posted by Richard Pohl at 10:33 PM MEST

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Mood:  rushed

"Reality is a question of perspective; the further you get from the past, the more concrete and plausible it seems -- but as you approach the present, it inevitably seems incredible." (Salman Rushdie)

So... Times are changing, as Bob Dylan sings...

And as well for me. My dear professor retired (his health problems were stronger than his passion for music, unfortunately) and now comes "the time of miracle and wonder"...

Although I am moving to class of really excellent teacher (Mrs. Vlasakova) and will work also with one of the best country's young piano performers (Mr. Jirasky - well-known Janacek specialist), I am rather confused and sad... Things just happened too quickly.

But music still goes on - and Chopin's Sonata No. 3 is the purest beauty. So, wish everything will finish at its best. Let's see...

Posted by Richard Pohl at 12:56 PM MEST

Updated: Saturday, 27 January 2007 2:26 PM CET

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Mood:  energetic

And so i was there... Wonderful event, rare even in my experience. I will put here some pictures. I performed on two concerts, attend large workshop with orchestra and worked with amazing professor, Mr. Jan Gottleb Jiracek. And now - back to daily work...

I also finished all my translations of Paul Simon's lyrics. See here: http://paulsimon.webpark.cz

Now will start to work on my next season's program. Let the music wash my soul again...

Posted by Richard Pohl at 7:39 PM MEST

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Mood:  happy

Hi everyone!

So I am here for a whole week, so I can summarize...

And I must say, whole event really satisfied me much. Environment, accomodation, practising and especially Mr. Jiracek, really amazing teacher...

But what pleased me mostly was that opportunity to perform with a festival orchestra. First rehearsal went quite well, altough I have to switch for slightly more fluent tempo in the second movement. But, anyway, I am really glad to be here. Also I made new and very interesting friends what is also great.

So - back to work. Mozart is waiting...

;-) 

Posted by Richard Pohl at 12:33 PM MEST

Updated: Saturday, 19 August 2006 12:44 PM MEST

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Mood:  special

So - today I am leaving for the festival Prag-Wien-Budapest. To meet new friends, to share ideas, discuss about music and also play...

Isn't it wonderful? So, thank you very much, faculty. Unfortunately I am not the only one, who wouldn't ever take part in such event without scholarship.

So, who wants to listen to me, visit Reichenau an Rax on Sunday!

-will perform Dussek - more than interesting piece. If you want to learn about it, visit: http://pianosociety.com/new/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=279&highlight=dussek

So - See you in Austria

Posted by Richard Pohl at 7:46 PM MEST

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Working on Bach and still can't finish with it...

Added new MP3 to Piano Society... 

http://www.pianosociety.com

And change much more on my site:

http://richard.pohl.tripod.com

Tripod Services is now fully used ;) 

Only that little storage bothers me...

Posted by Richard Pohl at 10:17 PM MEST

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