João Carlos Martins

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João Carlos Martins

João Carlos Martins (Portuguese pronunciation: [ʒuˈɐw

̃ ˈkaɾlus maɾˈtʃĩs]), whose
complete name is João Carlos Gandra da Silva Martins born June 25, 1940
in Sao Paulo, Brazil is an acclaimed Brazilian classical pianist[1] and conductor,
who has performed with leading orchestras in the United
States, Europe and Brazil.
He is celebrated as a great interpreter of Bach and has recorded his complete
keyboard works. For decades Martins has been engaged as the leading pianist
at the Boston Symphony, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other ensembles.
The New York Times wrote, "Maestro Martins has lived a life of renown,
challenge, tenacity and triumph sufficient to fill a lively memoir". [2]
After his career as a concert pianist was derailed by injuries and accidents, he
successfully reinvented himself as a conductor, leading hundreds of
performances worldwide including acclaimed concerts at Carnegie Hall. He is a
conductor at the English Chamber Orchestra and the Bachiana Filarmonica
Orchestra. He has also founded social programs for underprivileged youth in
Latin America.

Contents

• 1Early life
• 2Performing and conducting career
• 3Books and films
• 4Awards and outreach
• 5External links
• 6References

Early life[edit]
A child prodigy, Martins began studying the piano with José Kliass at the age of
eight. The following year, he won a competition sponsored by the Bach Society
of Brazil.[3] Soon thereafter, the legendary Alfred Cortot proclaimed: "With this
kind of tone, with the ability of his fingers, he could become very important for
the history of piano playing."
At the age of 18, he was among the first Latin Americans to be invited to
participate in the prestigious Casals Music Festival in Puerto Rico. International
attention grew in 1961 when, aged 20, he performed at his debut concert in
Washington, D.C., Bach's 48 Preludes and Fugues from the Well-Tempered
Clavier (a work that became one of his specialties). The reviewers were
ecstatic.
He was already well-known in Brazil as a child prodigy, and his name quickly
spread throughout the concert world. Three years later he made his New York
debut, followed by engagements with major orchestras in the United States, and
recitals throughout the world, including sold-out performances at Carnegie
Hall and Avery Fisher Hall (Lincoln Center).

Performing and conducting career[edit]

His hands

Recordings of Book I & II of the Well-Tempered Clavier, for the Connoisseur

Society label, followed soon thereafter and in 1968 RCA released Alberto
Ginastera's Piano Concerto with Martins and the Boston Symphony under Erich
Leinsdorf: a widely acclaimed first recording of this work, which appeared for
weeks on Billboard's best seller list. He became a regular at the Peabody
Mason Concert series and Boston Symphony.[4]
Between 1979 and 1998, Martins devoted himself to recording Bach's complete
works for keyboard on the Concord Concerto and Labor Records labels. His
collection of the complete keyboard works of Bach - a 20 CD edition released
on the Concord Concerto label, and the most extensive series of Bach keyboard
recordings by a single pianist - resulted in spectacular reviews throughout the
world, including feature articles and cover stories in some of the most
prestigious music magazines.[5]
In 1981, he was appointed Brazil's Secretary of Culture.
Afflicted by injuries and setbacks throughout his mercurial career, Martins has
shown remarkable perseverance and determination. While visiting Bulgaria in
1995, Martins was attacked by two thugs, receiving injuries to his skull and
brain, and lost the use of his right arm. After undergoing numerous treatments,
including a new version of biofeedback therapy on his right arm, he played a
triumphant comeback concert in Carnegie Hall in 1996, appearing as soloist
with the American Symphony Orchestra, performing Ravel and Ginastera.
In early 2000, he undertook an unsuccessful operation in his right hand, which
rendered his hand essentially useless. Instead of retiring completely from the
piano, Martins continued to play using his left hand and one finger of the right
hand.
After his career as a pianist finished due to problems which later developed in
his left hand, he turned to conducting, despite very limited hand-movements.
Since then he has led hundreds of performances worldwide including acclaimed
concerts at Carnegie Hall.
Harold C. Schonberg, Pulitzer-winning music critic of the New York Times, said,
"His technique sends fireworks in all directions... he does everything with
extraordinary élan." The Boston Globe characterized him as "The most exciting
player of Bach on the modern piano to emerge since Glenn Gould," and
National Public Radio described Martins' Bach as "in the same tradition of, say,
Furtwängler's Beethoven or Bernstein's Brahms. The pianist has placed such a
vivid stamp on the material that it is no longer the composer's alone… It's
literally breathtaking.”

Books and films[edit]

In 2001 a book, entitled "Conversations with Martins", was published about his
life and career. It was written by noted pianist and Juilliard School
professor David Dubal,[6] to coincide with João's new recordings of Mozart,
Haydn and Beethoven.
In 2004 a German documentary was released, Die Martins-Passion (96
min),[7] which won several international awards.[8] The film accompanies Martins
during his darkest hours, tracing the early triumphs and dramatic events of his
life. It portrays film sequences from his childhood and early years, as well as
some of his most impressive performances. In the movie, Martins encounters
some of his friends including the soccer player Pelé and the legendary jazz
pianist Dave Brubeck.
A biographical drama film, "João, O Maestro" (João, The Conductor), was
directed by Bruno Barreto and stars Alexandre Nero and Rodrigo Pandolfo as
Martins at adult and young age respectively, and Alinne Moraes as Carmen, his
current wife. The movie was launched worldwide in August, 2017. [9]

Awards and outreach[edit]

Martins is known for initiating social programs for underprivileged youth in
Brazil, through his foundation the "Fundação Bachiana Filarmônica", which
supports two orchestras that he has founded, the Bachiana Philharmonic
Orchestra and the Youth Bachiana Orchestra.[10][11]

External links[edit]
• Official site
• BACH & friends Documentary