Photo by Josh Hild, Courtesy of Unsplash
IMPORTANCE OF GENTLENESS
It is late January in Minnesota. Gray skies and punishing snowstorms have made this winter a particularly difficult one. I am recovering from some post holiday blues and a rough case of COVID. In the heart of winter, it is time to be gentle with ourselves. My mentor Jill re-introduced this piece to me and it immediately lifted my spirits.
PETERSON’S EARLY YEARS
Oscar Peterson was one of the finest pianists and composers to grace this planet. Born in a poor area in Montreal, Canada, he began his studies first with his father and then his sister. He moved on to study with Paul de Marky, who taught him in the Western classical tradition of Franz Liszt, while also fostering an interest in Jazz. During his childhood, he claimed “I learned that if you really believe in something - have something to hold onto - in my case, that was music and Jazz - that prevails above all else.” Young Oscar devoured records, listening to all of the greats and emulating their style. It is said that he practiced up to 18 hours/day and that his mother had to extract him from the bench. For Oscar Peterson, playing the piano was as necessary as eating and breathing. He believed that the elements that made a pianist fantastic were The Five T’s- touch, time, tone, technique and taste.
Photo by Eric Masur via Unsplash
OVERCOMING SETBACKS
In 1993, Oscar suffered a stroke that paralyzed his left side. “The first day I sat at the piano with my therapist,” he explains, “I had tears in my eyes. I couldn’t even play my original ‘Love Ballade,’ which even a child can play.” Peterson eventually persevered and recovered after extensive Physical Therapy. Although he lost some facility in his left hand, he continued to perform until his death in 2007. After his stroke, he had a hard time getting to the piano, but once at the keyboard, he came to life and his musical personality was as large as life. Even though his body began to fail, the piano remained his lifeline.
LEGACY
Peterson played with most of the jazz greats during an impressive career that spanned over fifty years. In 1958, Peterson joined Ray Brown, and clarinetist Phil Nimmons to open the Advanced School of Contemporary Music — Canada's first school for jazz musicians. Peterson recorded hundreds of albums in every possible setting, ranging from solo piano to large symphony orchestras. He won several Grammy awards, including the Lifetime Achievement Award and most importantly, inspired the next generation of pianists.
FURTHER LISTENING
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