A review of Bobby Mitchell performing at Bargemusic. Bobby was a Governor’s School piano student who went to Eastman, then did graduate work in the Netherlands.
“Ending the first half was the last of the world premieres, Fred Rzewski’s Winter Nights, three related pieces written for pianist Bobby Mitchell. These are surprising works. Before he played, Mitchell remarked that they might be seen as indicating a late style, and they do go against type. While there are flashes of Rzewski’s virtuosic fire, the music is quiet, slow, spare, impressionistic, shining frigidly like streetlights off new-fallen snow. The piece compiles an intriguing set of ideas about modern pianism, as if Satie had sat down to try and improvise in the style of Chopin and ended up discovering Cage’s In a Landscape.” Bobby Mitchell will also perform Winter Nights tonight and tomorrow night. bargemusic.org
