Gabriela Montero - improvising your suggestions live
- 14 Feb 08, 03:48 PM
Classical improvisation was a serious art for masters such as Beethoven and Liszt, and Venezuelan pianist Gabriela Montero is fast proving it is not a lost art.
Montero can take whatever suggestions she is given and turn them into fully formed compositions, drawing on jazz, tango and even blues.
For Newsnight, she has set herself a challenge: on Tuesday's programme Gabriela will perform an improvised live piece based on your suggestions.
In the past she has improvised around classical works from Vivaldi, crossed Bizet with Scott Joplin and played Bach in the style of Italian pianist Busoni. Her repertoire also includes more eclectic inspirations - the Archers theme tune, Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive, Christmas carols and even football chants have been woven into pieces. She is also happy to use abstract themes - weather, moods, seasons - as leitmotifs. Listen to Gabriela鈥檚 take on Vivaldi鈥檚 Summer and Winter (courtesy of EMI Classics)
Below are the suggestions you sent for Gabriela to improvise around - but which one will we choose? Watch Newsnight on Tuesday to find out...
