Eric Le Van (born June 14, 1964) is an American classical pianist particularly known for his interpretations of the music of

Brahms Johannes Brahms (; 7 May 1833 – 3 April 1897) was a German composer, pianist, and conductor of the mid- Romantic period. Born in Hamburg into a Lutheran family, he spent much of his professional life in Vienna. He is sometimes grouped wit ...

and

Scriabin Alexander Nikolayevich Scriabin (; russian: Александр Николаевич Скрябин ; – ) was a Russian composer and virtuoso pianist. Before 1903, Scriabin was greatly influenced by the music of Frédéric Chopin and composed ...

. He is also an archivist of unusual repertoire. He has been guest soloist and recitalist in major festivals and venues in the United States and in Europe, notably the Weimar Franz Liszt Festival and the Beethovenfest in Bonn, the Fetes Romantiques de Nohant Festival in France, as well as the

Kennedy Center The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (formally known as the John F. Kennedy Memorial Center for the Performing Arts, and commonly referred to as the Kennedy Center) is the United States National Cultural Center, located on the Potom ...

and the

Library of Congress The Library of Congress (LOC) is the research library that officially serves the United States Congress and is the ''de facto'' national library of the United States. It is the oldest federal cultural institution in the country. The librar ...

in Washington D.C. Early on he entered the class of Earle C. Voorhies, whose own professor was

Alexander Siloti Alexander Ilyich Siloti (also Ziloti, russian: Алекса́ндр Ильи́ч Зило́ти, ''Aleksandr Iljič Ziloti'', uk, Олександр Ілліч Зілоті; 9 October 1863 – 8 December 1945) was a Russian virtuoso pianist, ...

, one of

Liszt Franz Liszt, in modern usage ''Liszt Ferenc'' . Liszt's Hungarian passport spelled his given name as "Ferencz". An orthographic reform of the Hungarian language in 1922 (which was 36 years after Liszt's death) changed the letter "cz" to simpl ...

's pupils, and a cousin and teacher of

Rachmaninov Sergei Vasilyevich Rachmaninoff; in Russian pre-revolutionary script. (28 March 1943) was a Russian composer, virtuoso pianist, and conductor. Rachmaninoff is widely considered one of the finest pianists of his day and, as a composer, one of ...

. After graduating from the University of Southern California, he moved to Europe in 1986 where he became a protege of

Rudolf Buchbinder Rudolf Buchbinder (born 1 December 1946, Litoměřice, Czechoslovakia) is an Austrian classical pianist. Biography Buchbinder studied with Bruno Seidlhofer at the Vienna Academy of Music. In 1965, he made a tour of North and South Americas. In ...

at the Musik-Akademie in Basel, Switzerland. In Basel, he studied chamber music with

Walter Levin Walter Levin (December 6, 1924 – August 4, 2017) was the founder, first violinist, and guiding spirit of the LaSalle Quartet (active 1947–1987), which was known for its championing of contemporary composers, for its recordings of the Second V ...

, founder and first violinist of the

LaSalle Quartet The LaSalle Quartet was a string quartet active from 1946 to 1987. It was founded by first violinist Walter Levin. The LaSalle's name is attributed to an apartment on LaSalle Street in Manhattan, where some of its members lived during the quartet ...

, and pianist Gérard Wyss. Later, he was a Fulbright scholar in the class of Karl-Heinz Kammerling at the Hochschule für Musik in Hannover, Germany, and pursued doctoral studies at La Sorbonne in Paris. In chamber music, his partners include Michaela Paetsch, and Axel Strauss. He was artistic director of the Franz Liszt Festival in Alsace, France from 1997 to 2003. He now lives in the Los Angeles area with his family.

Reception

Le Van's recordings have been praised for their sensitivity, emotional depth, and power. His debut CD of Brahms' Sonatas no.1 & no.3 for Gallo Records immediately drew positive reviews. Jacques Bonnaure in ''Repertoire'' stated that he is one of the most important Brahms interpreters since Julius Katchen, and compared Le Van to Curzon and Arrau. ''

Le Monde de la musique ''Le Monde de la musique'' was a French monthly musical magazine published from 1978 to 2009 with a circulation of 20,000 copies in 2008. It was founded in 1978 by ''Le Monde'' and ''Télérama ''Télérama'' is a weekly French cultural and tel ...

'' praised Le Van's "lyrical generosity and expressive sincerity." The ''Revue Musicale de Suisse Romande'' wrote of him as "an artist of the highest caliber." The ''BBC Music Magazine'' described his performances as "powerfully impressive". Bernard Jacobson in ''Fanfare Magazine'' elaborates on his "profound understanding" and his "sovereign technical facility". Le Van's survey of Liszt's chamber music, with cellist Guido Schiefen for Arte Nova (BMG), earned them the ''Neue Musik Zeitungs award "Critic Choice" for Best Chamber Music Disc of the Year in 2000. Adrian Corleonis in ''Fanfare'' qualified the performers' contribution to the Liszt discography as "significant", and lauded their "consummate artistry and hand-in-glove collaboration."

Donald Vroon Donald Richard Vroon (born 1942) is an American music critic, chief editor and co-owner of '' American Record Guide'', a bi-monthly magazine containing reviews of classical music events, compact discs, DVDs, and books related to classical music as ...

in ''The American Record Guide'' expressed that "Le Van here is better than any pianist on any chamber recording of these pieces." As for the premiere of Raff's works for piano and violin on Tudor Records, the Joachim Raff Society published an online review stating that: "if you plan to buy only one Raff recording this year, then this is the one." On ''Classical Net'', Donald Satz extensively reviewed the CD, concluding: "This is one of the most enjoyable recordings I have listened to in the past few years. Great music does not play itself; it needs exceptional performers to highlight its architecture and the compelling nature of its musical lines and progression. Neftel and Le Van have done this with a level of artistry and technique that is stunning. I give the recording a 10/10; the Satz Rating Scale shows the disc to be off the charts." Likewise, his readings of the complete Scriabin Mazurkas for Music & Arts were described by Bryce Morrison in ''Gramophone'' as "magically fleet and affectionate," "youthful, ardent and communicative." The ''BBC Music Magazine'' gave it 4 stars, with Matthew Rye praising the "freshness and lustre of his tone—captured in one of the most natural piano recordings I have heard for some time." ''Fanfare'' Magazine, citing "artistry of the highest order", described Mr. Le Van as " uncannily sensitive to Scriabin's nuances of phrase and harmonic subtleties," and Peter J. Rabinowitz selected the recording for the Want List 2004 of indispensable new recordings to have: "Eric Le Van plays with a rhythmic flexibility that few other living pianists could carry off. It's what you might call a polemical disc—certainly, it offers an extreme and distinctive interpretive perspective. But Le Van expresses his position in a way that's convincing, even mesmerizing." In an in-depth review on the website ''MusicWeb International'', critic Donald Satz concluded: "it is not an easy task to be competitive with the greatest Scriabin pianists of the past as Vladimir Sofronitsky, Samuel Feinberg, Sviatoslav Richter, Roberto Szidon, Vladimir Horowitz, and Scriabin himself. Le Van deserves to be placed in this exalted company, and he enjoys the best sonics that modern techniques can offer." Of second Brahms CD, the ''American Record Guide'' commented: "it is exhilarating to hear Brahms playing that feels so alive." ''L'éducation musicale'' hailed Le Van as "a worldwide Brahms authority." Le Van's recording "Exil. Piano Music by Composers with Roots in Two Continents" was released in 2013 with Music & Arts. It features the works – including world premieres – of five Jewish composers who were amongst the wave of intellectuals and artists who left Europe in the 1930s for the United States:

Erich Wolfgang Korngold Erich Wolfgang Korngold (May 29, 1897November 29, 1957) was an Austrian-born American composer and conductor. A child prodigy, he became one of the most important and influential composers in history of Hollywood, Hollywood history. He was a no ...

Erich Zeisl Erich Zeisl (May 18, 1905 – February 18, 1959) (often spelled Eric) was an Austrian-born American composer. Life and music Born to a middle class Jewish family in Vienna, then capital of the Austro-Hungarian empire, Zeisl was the son of Kamil ...

Ernst Toch Ernst Toch (; 7 December 1887 – 1 October 1964) was an Austrian composer of classical music and film scores. He sought throughout his life to introduce new approaches to music. Biography Toch was born in Leopoldstadt, Vienna, into the fam ...

Arnold Schoenberg Arnold Schoenberg or Schönberg (, ; ; 13 September 187413 July 1951) was an Austrian-American composer, music theorist, teacher, writer, and painter. He is widely considered one of the most influential composers of the 20th century. He was as ...

, and

Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco Mario Castelnuovo-Tedesco (3 April 1895 – 16 March 1968) was an Italian composer, pianist and writer. He was known as one of the foremost guitar composers in the twentieth century with almost one hundred compositions for that instrument. In ...

. These emigres, fleeing the upsurge of European fascism, contributed to make Southern California one of the capitals of world culture, and profoundly altered the horizons of American music and the arts. Zeisl biographer Malcolm Cole heralds these composers' works as "magnificently served" in Le Van's own readings, and Barbara Zeisl Schoenberg, daughter of Erich Zeisl and daughter-in-law of Arnold Schoenberg, endorses the CD as "deeply moving and thrilling": "Le Van played my father's pieces with so much emotion and beauty. I have listened to all the pieces on the CD and he plays them all wonderfully, including the Schoenberg which I have heard many times: he renders them so lyrically which makes them sound, though modern, so romantic and beautiful!"

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

' chief music critic

Anthony Tommasini Anthony Carl Tommasini (born April 14, 1948) is an American music critic and author who specializes in classical music. Described as "a discerning critic, whose taste, knowledge and judgment have made him a must-read", Tommasini was the chief ...

has praised the CD as "a fascinating new recording.". Le Van's recording was featured on HBDirect's magazine, and was also recommended on Expedition Audio. He has given several interviews on this release, including for Pizzicato magazine.

Discography

: Sonatas No.1 & 3. Eric Le Van (piano). Label: Gallo CD-946 *

: Complete Works for Cello and Piano. Guido Schiefen (cello); Eric Le Van (piano). Label: BMG-Arte Nova 74321 76809 2/ Oehms Classics OC 246 *

Raff Raff is a surname of German, English or Old Norse origin. Notable people Notable people with this surname include: * Alexander Raff (1820–1914), Australian politician * Charles Raff (1878-1948), Australian footballer * Edson Raff (1907-2003), Am ...

: Sonatillen for violin and piano Op.99 & 6 Morceaux for violin and piano Op. 85. Michaela Paetsch Neftel (violin); Eric Le Van (piano). Label: Tudor 7109 *

: Complete Mazurkas. Eric Le Van (piano). Label: Music & Arts CD-1125 *

: Sonata No 2, Scherzo Op. 4, Ballades Op. 10. Eric Le Van (piano). Label: Gallo CD-1203 *Exil. Piano Music by Composers with Roots in Two Continents. Eric Le Van (piano), Label: Music & Arts CD-1271

Sources

External links

Official website"An American pianist in France: An Interview with Eric Le Van"
by Bernard Jacobson

Jan./Feb.2002
"Musical Maverick" An Interview with Eric Le Van"
Clavier Magazine. February 2006. Volume 45, No.2. {{DEFAULTSORT:Le Van, Eric 1964 births Living people Musicians from Los Angeles University of Southern California alumni