Britain's James Rhodes: Total emotional breakdown followed by passionately hip musicmaking

There's a nice profile in today's Observer magazine in the Guardian on James Rhodes, a 35-year-old hipster who gave up live as a financial editor in London's City a few years ago in order to devote himself to classical piano. Except that there's nothing of the City -- or of classical aesthetic convention -- in what he does.

I'm not sure if he's anything more than a flash in the pan (if for no other reason than his personal emotional stamina), but I like what he's doing in terms of trying to connect with an audience in different ways.

(Don't miss the short video that accompanies the article: Here's this long-haired, tattoed dude surrounded by the gilded history in London's Steinway Hall, a jarring juxtaposition.)

In a review of a recital at London's über-hip Roundhouse in 2009, the Guardian's young Erica Jeal thought "Rhodes's abilities as an interpreter don't yet do justice to the real greats on his programme:"

Rhodes is fed up with the traditional piano recital format - and who can blame him? So, though his programme is decidedly old-school, he presents it more like a pop gig. Half the audience are sitting at round tables with drinks, and cameras project live footage on to the screens behind Rhodes's spotlit Steinway. On one level, it has worked: the average age of the audience is at most half that of the Wigmore Hall, where it can safely be said nobody has introduced Busoni's arrangement of Bach's D minor Chaconne as being "like a fucking cathedral".

Here's a sample of some of Rhodes' playing, none of which moves me much, but, again, that's not the point of why I'm bringing him up. This is from last summer's Cheltenham Music Festival:

TODAY AT 3 p.m.: Don't miss Cape Bretoner Ian Hominick's free piano recital at the Great Hall, Hart House.

Comments

[Denis Blais]

Good piece - and thanks for bringing James up - funny you went out of your way not to mention Norman Lebrechts comments - used in the Guardian article . and as much as I like and respect Erica Jeal - why did you not bother to mention NL's comments? - shame - but very please nonetheless you focused on the fact that he trying to change or at least alter the concert dynamic ( or lack of ) ... James is having fun - self taught and playing in venues that most concert pianists would simply refuse to even consider ... he is no Kissin or Gould - and he is the 1st to say it - but to not balance the piece in your blog without mentioning what other critics have said feels sloppy. - I am biased - I manage him . I happen also be a Canadian who lives in London - never worked in the music biz let alone classical music - but was a always a bit of closet fan of the latter . Like most people who get put off by the seriousness and strict codes of conducts held up by the self proclaimed "gate keepers" of the genre - I found in James a courageous artist wanting to share his passion for something he found solace in and has a complete passion for. James mentions Jamie Oliver in the article, who is not the best chef in the world, probably not even in the top 100 but his passion has brought millions of otherwise Kraft Dinner chefs to the table
wanting to make a healthy crack at something they either never even considered or stop being afraid of. - I think on that note we both are on the same page - but there are genuinely many other critics such as Norman Lebrecht who think James has his own distinctive voice that he his not a wooden - mechanical robot - and that we are all the better for it - well I am which is why I work with him . Here is another piece in the Independent saying something similar to your blog - big thanks - truly - for mentioning him - and appreciated.http://www.wmuk-apache.co.uk/jamesrhodes/websitenews/James%20Rhodes-Sun-Jan-2011.jpgv D.Blais London, UK

[John Terauds]

Denis,
Thanks for posting the comment.
Rather than rehash things that appear in an article I cite, I expect people to go and read the article, which is why I didn't go into the details of what was in the Guardian article yesterday -- and haven't done that with most articles I've cited in the past.
As for the Erica Jeal review, I was looking for someone I respect providing, in a pithy way, an assessment that might be similar to my own. Bias exposed!
I wish both you and James all the best. I hope you can get him to Toronto.