RN Documentary: Turning the Pages
Series: RN Documentaries
From: Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Length: 00:29:30
In 1935 Robert Brouwer bought an autograph book from a small shop in Amsterdam. A few days each week he would stand outside the city’s world famous concert hall waiting for famous musicians to appear. Within five years he’d not only collected the signatures of most of the great names in twentieth century music, he’d also become the resident page turner and was known as the house cat of the Concertgebouw.
In ‘Turning the Pages’ Robert Brouwer looks back at that period before World War Two and finds an Amsterdam rich with musical brilliance.
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Piece Description
In 1935 Robert Brouwer bought an autograph book from a small shop in Amsterdam. A few days each week he would stand outside the city’s world famous concert hall waiting for famous musicians to appear. Within five years he’d not only collected the signatures of most of the great names in twentieth century music, he’d also become the resident page turner and was known as the house cat of the Concertgebouw. In ‘Turning the Pages’ Robert Brouwer looks back at that period before World War Two and finds an Amsterdam rich with musical brilliance.
Transcript
The clips are of Robert Brouwer unless otherwise stated.
Here I am once again at the piano. Open the lid, put the music on the stand and sit down. Now we’ll have to see what happens because I haven’t played for a long time.
Music: Bach Prelude no. 1 Played by Robert Brouwer.
I hope you won’t judge my musicality by my piano playing. It’s been a long time since I touched an instrument and age is not kind to finger joints.
Music: as above
But one thing I can do still with agility is turning the pages.
Intro
Radio Netherlands present ‘Turning the Pages. Recollections of Robert Brouwer, autograph hunter and page turner.’
Music: as above
The feeling of sitting at the piano and playing brings back memories from my very early years and I had the privilege of turning pages and being in the company of really the greatest artists alive at that time. And that is a privilege...
Read the full transcript
Musical Works
Wolfgang Mozart / Sonata in E flat major for piano and violin, CD: The Goldberg/Kraus duo, Artist: Lili Kraus and Szymon Goldberg, Music and Arts CD-665,Track 4: Allegro Molto, Length: 1’11”
Wolfgang Mozart/ Piano sonata no.11 in A major K.351, CD: Mozart Recital Vol. 1 Wilhelm Backhaus, Artist: Wilhelm Backahus, London F30L-20165, Track 16: Alla Turk, Length: 25”
Sergei Rachmaninov/ Prelude in C sharp minor, CD: 20 Gramophone all-time greats, Living Era CD AJA 5112, Artist: Sergei Rachmaninov, Track 9: Prelude in C sharp minor op.3 no.2, Length: 1’19”
Yehudi Menuhin/ Bach Chaconne, CD: References Bach (103838 stichting audiovisueel), Artist: Yehudi Menuhin, EMI Classics 724356720121, Track 10: Chaconne, Length: 1’58”
Mendelssohn. Italian Symphony no.4 in A/ Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra, CD: The Kondrashin recordings, Philips 438278-2, Track 5: Allegro vivace, Length: 1’07”
Pablo Casals/ Bach Prelude. Suite for cello no.1, Pau Casals plays Bach,Artist: Pablo Casals, Definitive records DR2CD11127, Track 1: Suite for cello no.1, Length: 1’15”
Benjamin Britten/ Les illuminations for tenor and strings op.18, CD: Les Illuminations – Peter Pears/Britten, Artist: Peter Pears, Decca 417153-2DH, Track 11: Phrase, Length: 45”
Sviatoslav Richter/ Mozart piano concerto no.22, CD: Britten the performer, Artist: Sviatoslav Richter/English Chamber Orchestra, BBC Music BBCB 8010-2, Track 3: Allegro, Length: 1’34”
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Deborah Astley
Posted on May 17, 2005 at 07:20 AM | Permalink
Review of RN Documentary: Turning the Pages
This is a remarkable personal history told through the perspective of Robert Brouwer who, as a young man, was a page turner for famous musicians. He also collected their autographs. This guy knew Rachmaninoff! The listener travels to Holland and hears about pre WWII Amsterdam all from the perspective of the page turner. History might be read about in books but each of us are living parts of history and this piece brings out that fact. "Turning the Pages" is well balanced with descriptive narrative and music. The scenes are nicely developed in the listener's mind's eye. "Turning the Pages" needs a quiet contemplative time in the programming schedule - one that is already set aside for classical music or maybe part of a Sunday morning or afternoon weekend magazine show - because the beauty of the piece could be swallowed up if it were surrounded by unrelated programming. Beautiful well done piece which draws in the listener with the first touch of the piano keys.