The virtuoso pianist Igor Levit will play a partition of Erik Satie on Thursday, repeated 840 times – Liberation

A love of love does not last that the time of a piece. This is why the pianist Igor Levit will give Thursday April 24 and Friday April 25 in London a unique concert of at least 16 hours, by playing hundreds of times solo « VEXATIONS » d’Erik Satie (1866-1925). A piece composed after her break with Suzanne Valadon, painter whose works are Presentation at the Pompidou Center Right now. It was his one and unique « love affair »in the words of Erik Satie. Devastated by this separation, the composer consoles himself by creating this work whose instructions for use is rather singular.

This is a partition of a single page intended to be played 840 times in a rowaccording to the composer’s instructions. It thus results in a performance lasting 16 to 20 hours. Usually, several pianists follow one another to play this piece without interruption. But Igor Levit, under the direction of The famous artist and performer Marina Abramovicwill play alone, « An endurance feat » For the Southbank Center, which organizes the concert. The event takes place as part of the London festival Multitudes Dedicated to classical music and will start in the morning of Thursday. Spectators will be able to attend the concert either for an hour or in its entirety.

The German Igor Levit, who is at 38 years old one of the virtuoso pianists of his generation, had already caused a sensation while playing « VEXATIONS » In his studio in Berlin for 20 hours in a row during confinement. The objective of this lively filmed event was to raise funds for freelance musicians affected by the Pandemic of Covid-19.

It is the first time that he will play this song in full in public. The audience will be « Witness (of a moment) of silence, endurance, immobility and contemplation, where time ceases to exist »commented Marina Abramovic. In an interview with the British daily The GuardianIgor Levit encouraged his audience to « Let go ». « It’s just an empty space, so dive into it »he said.

« Igor interprets » vexations « with endless rehearsals, but a constant variation »continues Marina Abramovic. Close to the pianist, she had already collaborated with him in 2015, during an interpretation of Goldberg variations in New York, rethinking the conditions of reception of the public. For example, he had to enter the concert hall, to strip any distracting object (telephone, watch, etc.). For this new representation, « My role is to prepare the public for this unique experience »specifies the 78 -year -old Serbian artist. What to stir up curiosity, because the latter is known For its performance who push spectators in their entrenchments.