At the recital of Visiting Artist-in-Residence George Lopez this past Saturday, the pianist brought the crowd to its feet not just after the concert's final measure, but after every single piece—a true honor given that standing ovations are not casually awarded at classical music concerts.
Lopez began his recital with a unique rendition of Bach's Partita No.4 in D Major, revised to consist of six parts instead of the traditional seven.
"At the last concert I said that all of my concerts are Bach concerts in one way or other," said Lopez.
The second piece, Villa-Lobos' "Bachianas Brasileiras," is "in the atmosphere of Bach," according to Lopez. "What does that mean? Essentially, he wrote music in sequences and cadences."
Villa-Lobos' music hints at the tribal beats and folk songs of Brazil, his home country. Lopez said that after Villa-Lobos "flavored his music with the rich soil of native Brazil," which certainly came out in Saturday's performance.
"Bachianas Brasileiras" includes a classical samba and a variety of Amazonian sounds such as birdcalls that transport listeners deep into the jungle
"He really knows his theory, which translates into a better understanding" of the piece, said Yowon Yoon '14, one of Lopez's students. Lopez also performed Rachmaninoff's Sonata No. 2 in B-flat minor, which, like the Villa-Lobos piece, is highly allusive to Bach.
Lopez concluded the concert with an encore dedicated to a friend who died on September 11.
"We can't forget what happened 10 years ago," said Lopez. "This song is important for those who survived and for those who didn't."