Classical Music Happy Hour

Episode: Marc-André Hamelin – Rocks Rachmaninoff

Date: March 11, 2026
Host: Emanuel Ax (“Manny”)
Guest: Marc-André Hamelin

Overview

In this episode, renowned pianist Emanuel Ax welcomes virtuoso pianist and composer Marc-André Hamelin for a warm, witty conversation about technical brilliance, musical curiosity, the challenges of piano transcription, the spiritual nature of the printed score, and the emotional landscapes of Rachmaninoff’s music. Hamelin shares stories from his childhood, reflects on what draws him to complex repertoire, answers listener questions, and delivers a spellbinding live performance of Rachmaninoff’s Étude in E-flat minor, Op. 39 No. 5.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Childhood Influences & Early Repertoire

• Family Legacy: Hamelin credits his father for fostering his early curiosity in advanced piano works.
  • “I owe it to my dad…he had an interest in not so standard repertoire.” (02:46)
• Discovering Godowsky: The arrival of Godowsky’s Chopin Studies at age seven was pivotal.
  • “We would just stare, we just kept turning pages and we were both absolutely bug eyed at these things.” (05:08)
• Early Fascination: Exposure to challenging contemporary music through Piano Quarterly magazine.
  • “The advanced contemporary stuff really caught my eye…It was wonderful, strange and weird. So I just went for It.” (05:56)

2. Virtuosity and Musical Mindset

• Technique and Intellect: Hamelin downplays innate physicality in favor of intellectual engagement.
  • “The physicality is nothing without the mind.” (07:25)
  • “It was discovered early on that I had perfect pitch…a mind for music.” (07:38)
• Performance Philosophy:
  • “My desire to share these things with the public entails clarifying everything…in order to render them digestible and palatable and as plain as sunshine.” (08:03)

3. What Draws Hamelin to a Piece

• Personal and Audience Connection:
  • “It has to strike a chord…more importantly, it has to have what I think will strike a chord with the audience.” (08:31)
  • “A recital…is an offering…an occasion to share.” (08:41)
• Collector’s Zeal:
  • “I have about maybe 100 crates worth of sheet music at home. You know, I don’t know where to put it anymore.” (08:57)

4. Listener Q&A: Transcriptions and Practicing

• On Piano Transcriptions of Orchestral Works:
  • “Some of them are very successful, some of them not…It’s much better to just do it by ear.” (09:40)
  • “If we tried to play something from a symphony, we’d probably do it more from what we know, from what we heard, than what’s in the music.” (10:04)
  • “It’s a time-honored tradition and I think it’s coming back a little bit.” (11:05)
• On Practicing Away from the Keyboard:
  • “That’s where I get some of my best ideas…everything becomes clear…all kinds of wonderful things happen.” (11:42)
  • “There will have been an Evolution without my even touching one single key.” (12:00)

5. The Benefits of Composing

• On Why Performers Should Compose:
  • “Composing helps me make better interpretive decisions…it clarifies the structure for me…helps me interpret notation better…and helps you spot typos and mistakes.” (12:49)

6. Quickfire Questions

• Go-To Drink: “Plain water is really one of the wonders of the world.” (14:59)
• Musical Hero: “The printed score. Anything that's communicated to us by composers, that’s what I go with and that’s what I place my faith in.” (15:06)
• Favorite Instrument (Humor):
  • “I wish I played the piano.” (15:20)
  • “The piano offers me everything…it’s my mouthpiece…it can do anything, you know, I wouldn’t trade it for anything.” (15:24)
• Favorite Musical Memory:
  • Childhood Christmases, hearing his father play Liszt’s Christmas Tree Suite:
    • “I cannot hear this music without smelling the pine needles.” (15:40)

7. Listener Q&A: Why Write Music in Different Keys?

• Distinct Personality of Keys:
  • “Each key, I firmly believe, has a very distinct personality…there is a definite character for each of the keys.” (17:01, 17:39)
• Historical and Practical Factors:
  • Discussion of transposition for singers and horn requirements; some keys have functional and emotional associations, e.g., C minor for Beethoven/Mozart. (18:13)
• Modern Perspective:
  • “Maybe the actual key…meant more in the 19th century than it does now.” (17:53)

8. Deep Dive: Rachmaninoff Étude in E-flat minor, Op. 39 No. 5

• Why This Piece?:
  • “One of Rachmaninoff’s greatest creations among his miniatures.” (20:30)
• Live Performance:
  • Hamelin shares a breathtaking, intimate rendition of the piece. (20:39–26:09)
• What Makes This Étude Special:
  • “The harmonic progression and the buildup of tension…the harmonic progression makes not that much sense if you view it traditionally, but it’s a master lesson in building up tension.” (26:32)
• Memorable Insights:
  • Ax observes the emotional “contrast between the depth of despair and this ethereal note…as it turns to the major, it’s like a consolation or something.” (27:22–28:05)
  • Hamelin demonstrates the tricky middle passage, explaining his approach to clarity in overlapping lines. (28:48–30:14)
  • On interpretation:
    • “When the theme returns, you do not overwhelm with sound…usually it’s done much, much louder. I find this so touching.” – Maniac (30:24)
    • “I have a feeling that Rachmaninoff might not have written Fortissimo there…a few bars later, at the big climax, he writes triple forte.” (30:44)

9. Closing Exchange & Camaraderie

• “Let’s do this every day, shall we?” – Marc-André Hamelin (31:33)
• “With pleasure. Anytime.” – Emanuel Ax (31:38)

Notable Quotes

• On Pianistic Genius:
  • “You are the most impeccable and brilliant and overwhelmingly commanding pianist that I can imagine.” – Maniac (Host) (07:09)
• On The Nature of Virtuosity:
  • “The physicality is nothing without the mind.” – Marc-André Hamelin (07:25)
• On The Printed Score:
  • “The printed score. Anything that’s communicated to us by composers, that’s what I go with and that’s what I place my faith in.” – Marc-André Hamelin (15:06)
• On Interpretation:
  • “My desire to share these things with the public entails clarifying everything.” – Marc-André Hamelin (08:03)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Early influences and Godowsky obsession: 02:46–06:51
• Virtuosity, mind and music: 07:09–08:18
• How to approach transcriptions: 09:32–11:20
• Practicing away from the keyboard: 11:42–12:41
• Composing’s benefits for performers: 12:41–13:36
• Rapid-fire Q&A (favorite drink, instrument, memory): 14:47–16:04
• Why music is written in different keys: 16:14–19:54
• Rachmaninoff Étude (discussion and performance): 20:30–31:16
  • Performance: 20:39–26:09
  • Detailed breakdown: 26:32–30:44
  • Demonstration of middle passage: 28:48–30:14
• Closing remarks and camaraderie: 31:13–31:38

Memorable Moments

• Childhood awe paging through Godowsky scores with his father (05:08)
• Hamelin’s whimsical refrain: “The printed score” as his musical hero (15:06)
• The vivid Christmas memory – the scent of pine and Liszt’s music intertwined (15:40)
• Live, in-studio performance of Rachmaninoff: impromptu, passionate, unguarded (20:39–26:09)
• Playful banter about wanting to “play the piano” (15:20)
• Conversation on clarity and depth in interpreting Rachmaninoff, including performance secrets (28:48–30:14)

Episode Tone

Relaxed, erudite, and playful—a true “happy hour” among musicians, blending deep musical insight, personal storytelling, and casual humor. The camaraderie and mutual respect between host and guest shine throughout, welcoming listeners into the fold of pianistic conversation and discovery.