Tristan

Years ago, when I was still a piano student at the conservatory in Lima, I had the chance to discover a work that became a major influence in my life—one I’ve loved ever since.

I must have been around sixteen. A new conducting course had just opened, and I was asked to be one of the pianists playing the orchestral reductions—arranged for two pianos. The other pianist was a good friend, just as passionate about music as I was.

One of the pieces we had to play while the students took turns conducting was Wagner’s Prelude und Liebestod from Tristan und Isolde. It wasn’t like anything I had heard before. After the first reading, I went straight to the library to find the full orchestral score and a recording. I studied it in depth, completely drawn in by the emotional weight of the music and the way Wagner’s writing intensifies it.

Now, as I work on my bandoneon concerto, I do what I always do when writing something symphonic: I revisit great scores—studying, listening, and learning. It’s an endless source of ideas and inspiration.

Today I added Prelude und Liebestod to my Classical playlist. You can listen to it here.

Enjoy—and have a great day,

Claudio.