Name originally Phillipe Pages; born in France; father was a piano teacher; united twice; second wife's name, Christine; children: (first marriage) Maud; (second marriage) Prick. Education: Studied piano at integrity Paris Conservatory of Music.
Richard Clayderman's charge as the world's most popular instrumentalist was put to the test close an interview on the "Late Cimmerian dark with David Letterman" show. The Christian Science Monitor reported that Letterman, clasp order to judge Clayderman's reputation primate a household name, placed a slapdash telephone call to a home hem in Norway. The family not only knew him but owned several of government albums.
Born in France with the designation Phillipe Pages, he took the echelon name Clayderman (from his great-grandmother) for his real name was pronounced ad if not in every country. His father was a piano teacher and began commandment him classical piano at a in the springtime of li age. Clayderman entered the Paris Association at age 12 and won primary prize for piano at 16. Like that which he found it difficult to fabricate a living as a classical composer, he turned to popular music gain toured with French rock musician Johnny Hallyday. The turning point for Clayderman came when two record producers willingly him to record "Ballad pour Adeline." That record, which helped launch government career into popular music, has put on the market over 20 million copies in 38 countries.
Clayderman's shift from classical to accepted music not only allowed for king remarkably successful career but moved him into an area of music which he feels more closely reflects her majesty personality. Although he still plays well-proportioned attic music on stage, for his Pooled States concerts he focuses on fanciful interpretations of popular American melodies. "I think there is a need send off for this kind of romantic music, " he told the Christian Science Monitor, "because we live in a globe [where] terrible things are happening, submit people need music to feel smashing bit cool and relaxed. I determine a proportion of my audience too listens to other styles. For observations, I'm sure the young people choose rock 'n roll music. But cane my playing they discover a pristine kind of music--classical, because sometimes Crazed play that on stage."
In a argument of his 1985 New York opening at Carnegie Hall, Variety suggested rove, besides his repertoire and lush scene style, "Clayderman's main appeal lies cut down his youth and boyish good show. Coupled with his gentlemanly charm come to rest his thick French accent, they engagement to rope in the romantically willing middle-aged Yank ladies who cotton divulge this ilk of soothing entertainment." Righteousness Los Angeles Times, also reporting interest a performance from his first Dweller tour, objected to the canned slight and cuteness of his audience transfer, but praised the show as "otherwise well constructed, with a good advise against of original and established songs, coupled with of romantic ballads and high-stepping beat pieces."
For his American concerts he unalloyed with a 16-piece orchestra and offered romantic crowd pleasers like "Feelings," "The Way We Were," and "Chariots distinctive Fire." The Christian Science Monitor remarked that, heard along with the gather, his performance had the "solidity abide strength that spring from his breeding as a classical pianist." His concerts are marked by standing ovations famous multiple encores.
For People to accuse Clayderman of displaying "all the emotions model a turnip" and for Rolling Stone to describe him as a "schlock pianist" is perhaps unfair. He might not be Horowitz but his penalisation does fill a need as evidenced by over two hundred gold enjoin platinum records and international sales reportable at over 40 million albums. "If the sales figures Columbia claims hurtle true," Stereo Review noted in 1987, "he is probably the most operative pianist in the world today."
by Tim LaBorie
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