| Artist Endorsements |
you did a splendid job in depicting my grandfather, the artist
and the person. I also think you played his works very well,
both interpretively and managing to present his complex, contrapuntal, technically difficult music with an ease that belies the extraordinary demands required to make this music sound facile and musical.
And so I wish you much success in your project and
thank you for your devotion to my grandfather’s music, and your wish to bring this extraordinary musical genius deservedly back to the attention of the musical world. I just had the immense pleasure in watching the Godowsky DVD. I found it so tastefully done, so simple and graceful. That is rare today. Your playing is fabulous and I felt so moved to hear so much of grandpa’s music, and see many pictures, a few of which I had never seen. Thank You for doing this. Wonderful job! Many bravos to Antonio Iturrioz for giving us this wonderfully informative and much-needed documentary on one of our under appreciated and greatest musicians, Leopold Godowsky. It allows us to again remember the legendary life and career of this brilliantly unique pianist, composer and arranger, and his immeasurably important contributions to the world of music. Antonio Iturrioz has performed a wonderful service to music lovers in general and pianophiles in particular, by producing this lovingly researched film. I was very moved by Antonio’s Iturrioz’s documentary. It makes one feel nostalgia for Godowsky’s era, the Golden Age of the piano.... Godowsky’s scores are full of coherent markings and details. demanding from the performer utmost clarity and focus on the most minute details. Iturrioz’s performances in this documentary show clearly that he is ... a highly competent advocate of these qualities of Godowsky’s music .... As a musician and person of devotion to the cause of Godowsky’s music, I think Iturrioz is the man we have been waiting for and we can certainly expect from him a solid and lasting advocacy of the creative efforts of this composer. The Buddha was truly loved in New York. Many thanks for bringing the Godowsky story to the world. Thank you for the dvd. It is an important film for all pianists and pianophiles. It gives a clear insight into the life and unique piano genius of Leopold Godowsky. You reveal with skill, clarity and sensitivity the intricacies of his polyphonic piano writing, which as a composer-pianist myself, has always been a fascination.
From miniature to magnitude you have explored in film and through music the contrapuntal and technical mastery of the Poet of the Piano -- Leopold Godowsky -- pure melody. Antonio Iturrioz’s film gives us the highlights of Godowsky’s busy, peripatetic, career, shares his thoughts about music and life, and neatly summarizes his achievements as pianist, arranger, composer and teacher. The resulting portrait reveals why Godowsky stood out even in a Golden Age of Romantic piano playing. The film is generously illustrated with archival photographs, documents and scores, and unfolds against a backdrop of Godowsky’s own luxuriant, highly original and legendarily difficult music. This dvd is a must for any serious pianist. The historical information given by Mr. Iturrioz would have been sufficient reason to acquire the DVD, but the playing and tasteful understanding of Godowsky's music as well makes this an ultimately satisfying experience. Bravo Mr. Iturrioz and Mr. Godowsky!
This documentary is one of the most fascinating and illuminating presentations of a great pianist’s life and times. It fills a void and gives students, pianists and those interested in the legacy of one of the greatest pianists of all time a rare opportunity to reassess the tremendous and singular gifts of Leopold Godowsky. Antonio Iturrioz’s exceptional performances provide an added bonus. I have thoroughly enjoyed your film “The Buddha of the Piano: Leopold Godowsky”. It was absolutely fascinating ! And your playing is superb ! Wow, what a difficult repertoire, and played with such effortlessness ! The Duo-Art-Steinway is a beautiful instrument. I also enjoyed learning about Godowski’s life and career. Such an underplayed and underrated composer. The film is a brilliant production in every aspect. I so enjoyed the Godowsky portrait. You had so much excellent visual material, a high class commentary (the script and delivery), and beautiful music examples too (and very well played!) Thank you so much for it. I really value having it. It is quite unique.
NEW SHORT 2016 Endorsments I find The Buddha of the Piano: Leopold Godowsky a historic film, being the first and only film to address the life and music of this great legend. Moreover, Mr. Iturrioz’s playing of the pieces presented on the film is highly professional and gets to the point of Godowsky’s fastidious writing, the subtle contrapuntal writing is in fact played admirably. The film is a brilliant and poetic summary of the man Harold C. Schonberg called probably the greatest pianist of all time. Many congratulations to Antonio Iturrioz for this beautiful film on Leopold Godowsky. It is a labor of love and I absolutely loved it ! A great documentary on one of the giants of the turn of the 20th Century pianism ! Conceived, written, narrated and performed with knowledge and passion for the subject. Thank you, Antonio Iturrioz, for the creation of the film !
The Great Godowsky ! This is a first-rate look at one of the Titans of the piano. Antonio Iturrioz should be congratulated both for the insightful narrative of the film as well as for his superb artistry as an interpreter of Leopold Godowsky. |
