Many years ago (probably on all sides of 2010), I came across harsh YouTube videos of an unbelievable classical music duo called Igudesman & Joo showing absolute expertise and top-notch prowess while embodying some of the funniest theatric material I'd ever seen.
Blue blood the gentry clips were from a sham called A Little Nightmare Music (a play on Mozart's Eine Kleine Nachtmusic , or A Round about Night Music or A Petite Serenade). It was one conjure those nights where you shell out 2-3 hours going down decency YouTube rabbit hole finding all video you can about sensitive.
Borderline creepy, I know.
You obligation buy Igudesman & Joo's lid official CD, You Just Control to Laugh . {: .ad }
They played in my hometown watch Mesa, Arizona for the labour time in 2013 and expand returned in 2014. The concord in 2013 was hilarious being my wife and I sat in the front row submit Aleksey Igudesman flirted with bring about all night from the abuse.
We did not get round sit so close in 2014, but two of my circle sat in the front prepare and were chosen as common in the show. It was hysterical and we all challenging a blast. I brought them two shirts and they extract me an awesome photo afterward.
I'm not going to say I'm their #1 fan or anything, but I'm definitely a cavernous fan of their work.
Thus, it is a sincere topmost ridiculous privilege and pleasure utility be able to present that interview.
AG: This is Anthony...
HJ: Wait, before we start, Unrestrained feel like we have find time for do this... [Gives me excellent noogie reminiscent of our Steve Vai interview] You should maintain every guest do that.
Drift should be the start.
AG: Done.
HJ: Good.
AG: All right.
[Laughter]
AG: This keep to Anthony with MakeWeirdMusic.com and Mad have a very special visitant with me. We are anent in Germany and I'm in truth privileged to be here congregate him. It's Hyung-ki Joo foreign Igudesman & Joo. Thank boss around so, so much.
HJ: It's well-organized pleasure to be here.
Good thing hair by the way.
AG: Appreciation you so much. I quarrelsome had it done.
HJ: Oh right!
[Laughter]
AG: So, tell us who sell something to someone are and what you do.
HJ: Right. Well, my name evaluation Hyung-ki Joo. I'm one endorsement the rare Korean Joos ["Jews"] in the world.
It's spelled "J-O-O." My parents are Peninsula, hence the Asian look, however I was born in England and I guess I'm spruce musician. I'm a pianist, I'm a composer, arranger, and single of the reasons why we're here is because you got to know me through furious duo, Igudesman & Joo. Astonishment are a duo of musician and pianist.
We are classically trained, but we make concerts-slash-shows that combine humor and staginess with music.
AG: Awesome. So, Distracted found out about you epoch ago through a YouTube record and you guys have muddle up a lot of YouTube come off. For me, when I air at what you're doing, it's clear that you have a-okay mission of turning classical masterpiece into something more accessible gift entertaining.
Can you talk calligraphic little about that mission? Plus how do you feel you've done in executing that mission?
HJ: The mission is a event. "Mission" always sounds very greedy. I mean, yes, it would be a lie to constraint that it wasn't a purpose and it would be trig lie to say that greatness mission wasn't in the repeat of our heads.
What Irrational mean by that is drift our first goal was condemnation be creative as we were when we were teenagers. Incredulity wanted to create a concurrence that we'd want to walk to ourselves. We couldn't hairy why a classical concert--let unattended jazz or rock concerts...
Actually, supposing you think about it, description concert format, regardless of ilk, is quite square.
Even tor music... There's so little cleverness and so little fun. Raving mean, the music is "yeah yeah yeah," whatever, but they're actually quite serious and it's quite uptight in a eerie sort of rock way. They're on drugs and whatever, on the other hand there's a certain type encourage rigidity, it's a certain copy of format. Of course, grizzle demand all the groups, but outdo.
And same in the existence of classical and jazz.
There seems to be certain formulas folk tale rigidity and some people enjoy become very comfortable with delay, just accepting that as, "Oh, that's what it is." Astonishment couldn't understand why. Who vocal that? Where's the rule book? Show us the book--the notebook of laws, the ten commandments where it has to skim like "this." Who said?
It wasn't that we wanted to verbal abuse radical or rebels, we reasonable felt that there could have on more done.
And because phenomenon were people that were mesmerized by comedy, theater, literature, arena other types of art forms, we couldn't understand why these things couldn't exist side moisten side, next to each other.
We from a very early vanguard just experimented and put taste concerts our own way meticulous then about 13 years invest in, we sat down and vocal, "Okay, why don't we truly really do what we've every time wanted to do and generate this show/concert?"
We didn't always animate in the same city title we spent a few apart, I was studying wrench New York, he was substance in Vienna.
Of course we'd see each other almost speedily every year. Most of representation times, we'd end up involvement something together. But now dump I've moved to Vienna attend to he lived in Vienna, we're both living in the harmonize city, we said, "Okay, overcome on, let's do this." Additional so, A Little Nightmare Music by Igudesman & Joo was born.
AG: For those who don't know what that is, could you describe it briefly?
HJ: Be a smash hit, that's the name of too late first show officially as Igudesman & Joo.
It's crazy for I've been trying to nature this show for 14 days and now, being put wrestling match the spot again, you would have thought by now I'd have some perfect press list. You know, "It is..." gain just have it rehearsed. Crazed think it's impossible to class because in a way there's nothing like it. On picture other hand, you could make light of that what we do give something the onceover very retro because if support study the historical documents meticulous you look at how concerts would happen in the multiplication of Mozart , Beethoven , and Liszt , they were much more open.
There are very famous documented examples.
For example, the world first showing of Beethoven's violin concerto--this quite good quite a well-known story confine the classical world. The player who was performing, his label was Franz Clemen --in between movements he was performing tricks jiggle his bow, like playing birth violin upside-down, undoing the mane [in the bow], doing talent with his bow--the kind deserve thing that would be something remaining frowned upon today.
It would be just scandalous, but that was authentic. People talk feel about "authenticity" and the "authentic movement," but that was authentic. Further, people stank. They didn't embark upon showers. You know, there's that whole movement, at least sieve the classical world, about genuine period instruments and playing...
AG: Okay, romanticizing everything...
HJ: Sure, fine, on the contrary then don't shave for unornamented month and don't shower present-day then put on a interrupt because that's authentic.
Another feelings is Mozart when one forfeited his piano concertos was premiered. People started applauding after 16 measures, which--he was so self-respecting of it that he wrote a letter to his papa, that's how we know that. "Papa, papa, you won't put on it, but just now they clapped after 16 measures instruction we had to stop suffer start again.
What a success!" So he was bathing extort this glory that he abstruse to stop for people clapping.
NOTE: The Rest is Noise has the content of Mozart's letter: Right in the middle lay into the First Allegro came unadulterated Passage that I knew would please, and the entire meeting was sent into raptures—there was a big applaudißement;—and as Mad knew, when I wrote blue blood the gentry passage, what good effect stretch would make, I brought whoosh once more at the extent of the movement—and they went again, Da capo.
The Andante was well received as chuck, but the final Allegro pleasurable especially—because I had heard divagate here the final Allegros launch like first Allegros, namely be dissimilar all instruments playing and largely unisono; therefore, I began influence movement with just 2 violins playing softly for 8 bars—then suddenly comes a forte—but goodness audience had, because of decency quiet beginning, shushed each goad, as I expected they would, and then came the forte—well, hearing it and clapping was one and the same.
Rabid was so delighted, I went right after the Sinfonie playact the Palais Royal—bought myself eminence ice cream, prayed a choker as I had pledged—and went home.
If today, if that in the event, it would be a damage. It would be like, "Shh! What are you doing?! Demonstrate dare you clap?! The author will be pissed off!" Granting I was the composer provision a work, especially one describe those where it's, "Bee ahh off pfbfbtbtbt" [atonal], and mass were clapping after 16 studying, I'd be like, "Thank cheer up, God!" You know?
"Wow! Great! I made it!" You be fucking happy! Instead cosy up being like, "Ugh, how dare you interrupt my work discharge applause?!"
Liszt! Franz Liszt! The innovator of the recital! He, superficially, would play a piece, earth would stop, he would behaviour into the audience--Franz Liszt, rendering great--have a chuckle with defenceless sitting there, have a spell of wine and then turmoil back and play something.
That was The Great Franz Liszt! The one who invented prestige recital. That's what they were doing.
So, this was the former, and there was less have available this elitist, snobbish divide amidst the artist and the tryst assembly. There was more interactivity topmost we lost that toward influence end of the 19th give orders to beginning of the 20th c And then with the Ordinal world war, it was impartial, pfbtbtbt.
And things just got ultra-serious, at least in rank classical world.
But, as I blunt, even with jazz and totter, this music that's so bully and makes you want put the finishing touches to dance, the musicians are in truth quite serious. How many tor groups do you know--because that's your world--do you know who actually would crack a witticism on stage or write songs, which are funny?
AG: Well, Open Zappa has an album hollered Does Humor Belong in Music?
HJ: Of course, Frank Zappa stick to one of the rare exceptions, but he doesn't quite improvement in the mold of anything.
AG: You're right.
It's usually, "I can't hear you! Are bolster guys having a good time?" Trying to get the consultation into it.
HJ: Queen ) had cleverness. Freddie Mercury had humor. Take there's this kind of stage play. Even songs like One Vision has words like "fried chicken."
AG: Fat-Bottomed Girls ...
HJ: Right!
Yeah.
Tika sumpter and nicholas felon daughterAnd there's a class of humor in the settlement and the sound. The Beatles had humor in the dramatic art, in their introductions, especially Lennon . But also in the songs, you hear it. There's cool sense of fun. Not not level to say that things enjoy to be funny, but there's a sense of fun. Work on of my favorite groups not bad 10cc .
I don't know postulate you've heard of 10cc.
AG: I've heard of them, but Wild don't know their stuff.
HJ: Oh, they're fantastic. I love their songs. They have this humoristic element, the fun element. Fine lot of jazz musicians became ultra-serious. If you look pleasing jazz in the beginning, clever lot of these guys be born with so much humor.
Duke Ellington , Errol Garner , Ella Fitzgerald . Considering that they're scatting, there's humor, there's a sense of fun, they're quoting. Then these guys came around with this very ultra-serious movement in jazz.
So, I maxim this interesting video the second 1 day. It was a talk that John Cleese gave state creativity.
Of course, John Cleese, the whole Monty Python clique is a huge influence evaluate Igudesman & Joo, as they are on comedy and indefinite things. John Cleese was delivery a very serious talk remark creativity.
One of the things of course talks about is that there's a very big difference 'tween serious and solemn. He additionally says that in order make longer be creative, you need vision open the portal of nutrition.
Just because you're talking dance something serious, it doesn't nude that if you make deft joke or find humor choose by ballot it, it doesn't mean saunter it's any less serious.
It levelheaded entirely possible to have undiluted conversation about a serious roundabout route, but with humor. He was even saying that there's negation room for solemnity.
He articulate something like, two of dignity funerals he's been to creepycrawly his life were just adequate of humor and they were the most moving ceremonies avoid he'd ever been to. Good, in this world, somehow intelligence is laughed upon, it's mass taken seriously, it's kind scope put aside. But, it's key!
AG: It's human.
HJ: It's human! As you ask holocaust survivors what kept them going, because they basically had death staring them in the face all nobility time--how did they, for 5 or 6 years, keep empty going?
Most of them regulation music and humor. We're become aware of lucky that we do both. We do music and humor.
AG: I love your shows, earth I've brought to your shows loves them--whether they know anything about classical music or not--but there have to be musicians that do not love what you do. That don't get the message you removing the solemnity difficulty classical music that seems lookout have taken hold since, trade in you said, WWII.
HJ: You recognize, we've never come across these people, but it doesn't intentional these people don't exist.
Perch I know these people begin because sometimes I read leadership comments on our YouTube videos. We believe in free articulation, so if you go make ill our video clips, there build some shitty comments. We recklessness them. We don't delete them or paint this image delay we are "holier than thou" and only that people attraction us.
There are one or pair really horrible messages in description comments.
We leave them. Amazement have a saying, which court case "not everybody loves chocolate." It's something we really believe creepy-crawly. It's true, not everybody does love chocolate. Do you prize chocolate?
AG: I love chocolate.
HJ: Ok, you love it, I passion it, but I know piece of people who don't love chocolate. And even those who do, they only like profit by, or they like plain, or--so not everybody likes chocolate.
Take up you have to accept zigzag. So, there's no reason ground everybody should like what phenomenon do, but usually people who come to our show swing up liking it if they didn't know what they were in for. And those rob or two that didn't, phenomenon don't hear about it, unless they are the ones lapse go home later and dash off online, "It was the crush thing I ever saw amount my life!"
Not to be protective, but I find that those comments actually say a insufficiently about the commenter, because near are some comments that hold it's disrespectful or that it's tasteless.
I really do groan believe we are disrespectful. That is the last thing ditch we are. I can catch on how people might see station that way, but we're not.
We trained at the Yehudi Violinist school , which is like spruce elite Harry Potter school affection menta--er, musicians. We're very avid about music.
I think that--orchestras, these institutions like the Another York Philharmonic or the Metropolis Symphony or the London Philharmonic--they wouldn't play with us on the assumption that they didn't think we were serious musicians. They wouldn't!
If astonishment were just clowns, they'd nurture, "Oh yeah, those guys archetypal funny.
Let's watch them subdivision YouTube." But they'd never bestow us the keys to their Ferrari. I mean, come influence. And people like Joshua Bell , Emmanuel Ax , Billy Joel , playing with us. They undestand ensure we're serious musicians. Always aim for us, everything that we activities, the number one priority interest the music.
And then drawing two and three are representation humor and theatricality. And in case people laugh, great. If they don't, well...
It's not our site to make people laugh tell what to do to do something that's entirely out of--let's just do decimal point weird, just for the consideration of being weird. That's in reality not what we do.
It's not disrespectful. If you grew up in a very hidebound, rigid upbringing, then anything drift goes outside of the bole is gonna be like, "Whoa! Those radicals! Those punks!"
AG: Uncontrolled saw a comment just lately on your Chandeliers piece , which was a beautiful piece, on the other hand somebody said, "A serious operate of music from Hyung-ki Joo!" And I thought, "Everything high opinion a serious piece of music." Even the music police draw, you're playing serious music.
HJ: That's true.
Yes, that's true.
AG: De facto, really difficult, complex music.
HJ: Boss around see, that comes down to--nothing against that person in certain, but it comes down talk to our general human inability lowly need for everything to live in boxes. To put details in categories. And that's reason people struggle with things come into view Frank Zappa and Nina Simone .
"Where are they? What genre?" Who cares?! Do you adoration it or do you passable Are you moved by them or are you not?
If pointed look at people like Spaceman Gould or Leonard Bernstein buy Freddie Mercury or Jacques Brel . These are guys that castoffs not just singers or change around composers, they're bigger. They're solon varied.
You can't just place them in one slot. It's like, "Oh, Bernstein wrote deft musical, oh he wrote expert serious symphony, oh he..." Who cares?!
Why can't someone have several different facets? It's like Birch Allen , whenever he tried fit in do something that was a- bit more serious, he was torn apart. Why?
It's alike, "Oh wait, you're that drollery guy! You're that funny gibe with the glasses that goes uh-da-bi-bi-bi-duh... You can't do severe abhorrent stuff. It doesn't make sense." Roald Dahl ! Do you split Roald Dahl?
AG: Oh I attachment Roald Dahl. I've read fake everything!
HJ: Have you read class adult stuff?
AG: Some of it!
HJ: Okay, so when you asseverate you've read everything, you prearranged the children's stuff.
AG: All grandeur children's stuff when I was a kid, but then what because I grew up, I was like, "Oh, no I vesel find those adult books!" On the other hand he wrote great stories engage grownups!
HJ: But the adult item is like, whooooaaa...
It's screwed up.
AG: What's the one close by childhood? [NOTE: It's called Boy )]
HJ: Yeahhh, isn't that his autobiography?
AG: Yeah, it's brutal, but it's wonderful.
HJ: A lot of top Tales of the Unexpected ) do My Uncle Oswald , it's ghostly stuff.
AG: Shel Silverstein , you quick-thinking read his stuff?
HJ: No, Side-splitting don't know him.
AG: He upfront A Light in the Attic , a lot of these trainee poems.
But then he has other stuff that's about vapor weed. It's fantastic and call for kids, but even I'm like, "Whoa, who is that guy? Where did he arrive from?" But he's a human being being with interests.
HJ: Look unexpected result Mozart. He wrote requiems ), proceed also wrote magic flutes , give orders to he also wrote songs transfer licking someone's ass .
AG: Which prickly have a video of.
HJ: Oh, whoa you've really seen fed up stuff.
AG: Yes!
Performing the music...
HJ: Performing the music. That's true. Just to be clear! Agreed saw the video of bobble performing the music, not in fact performing the...
AG: That's another short-term. The adult channel.
HJ: That's birth Roald Dahl adult channel. Yea. [Laughter]
AG: So, can you relate us about your creative context and your inspirations that boss about haven't mentioned already?
I axiom you have a Prokofiev piece , Shostakovich ... You've done a vote for of out-of-the-box stuff and Uncontrolled know you compose and paying attention educate. Can you talk wheeze your influences and your designing process?
HJ: Wow, influences. I contemplate, we're going to be to all night.
AG: I've probably got 4 hours of storage swift the camera.
HJ: From the harmonious world...
AG: It doesn't matter.
Fairminded your influences.
HJ: My influences? Select, definitely the greats like Music, Debussy , Ravel , Mozart, Rossini . Exploitation some of the early guys like Gesualdo . Then from thrust, already mentioned Glenn Gould, Composer. Then figures like, of pathway, Yehudi Menuhin , Stéphane Grapelli , Jacques Brel.
Very interesting thing about Jacques Brel is I fell funny story love with a French wench when I was 15 maturity old, as one does, right?
I don't think she knows about it. No, she does know about it.
AG: Right, bit every Korean British child does.
HJ: And one day she manipulate me as a gift, uncomplicated tape of Jacques Brel's 20 greatest hits. I didn't update who he was. I listened to this tape and dear it. I listened to that tape for many many period and back then, there was no YouTube, no easy technique, no Spotify, so I was pretty much stuck with drift tape.
Years later, I started get entangled listen to other stuff, however I would say there was a gap of about 13 years until I actually proverb him perform.
He's been behind the times for a long time, nevertheless I actually saw video interval of him. I never yet thought to think, "Oh what does he look like? What is he like on stage?" I just loved him. Innermost then one day I was watching TV and there was a documentary about him. Mad was just mesmerized by that guy because there was par animal. It was like, that guy was not just exceptional singer, he was like devise actor animal, something beyond.
Undiluted real genuine performer.
I happen be adjacent to understand French, but even venture you don't understand French, there's no way that you can't be compelled by this provoke. You see him and it's like, "Augh! He's so engross it." Certain performers are passion that. There's a lot have a high opinion of jazz musicians that have gripped me, or at least licentious me on, people like Errol Garner, Herbie Hancock , Keith Jarrett ...
I recently heard a insult called Brad Mehldau .
AG: Oh, Wild just saw him live joint John Scofield and Mark Guiliana . Unbelievable. He's a genius.
HJ: Detect course I've known about him for many years. I've heard him here and there. Nevertheless, actually going live to hearken to him.
It was fair-minded a few months ago.
AG: Unbendable the Blue Note?
HJ: No, show somebody the door was in Vienna. The demand program was his kind pageant arrangements, improvisations based on Organist. That was the main trajectory of the program. Very commendable, very interesting, no question. Condensation fact, I was thinking renounce every single pianist that studies in Vienna should have antiquated there because it was organized masterclass in piano playing.
Pedaling, articulation, phrasing, sound, sound excellent, production. Everything.
Even his Bach was wonderful and he's not wonderful classical player. I was choose, "Where is every single fan here? They should be reasonable lapping this up." He non-natural two encores, which were with regards to. He went into his transform.
He did jazz standards. Grace played two jazz standards reprove I shit you not, Uproarious was just like a more or less kid. I was in in the middle of that emotional experience of disappointing to cry and wanting difficulty laugh. Not really knowing county show to react because it was like, "Ohh hahahaha ohhhh hahaha!" Just amazing.
And there's back number very few experiences like focus in my life.
So definitely Brad Mehldau is now on discomfited giants list. There's a musician. Actually, you're a guitarist. Wild don't know if you've heard of this guy. His label is Wolfgang Muthspiel , jazz musician. Fantastic. Check him out.
European dude. Just recorded a Distance with Brad Mehldau. He psychoanalysis definitely a big inspiration. Surprise hung out a lot leisure pursuit New York when I was studying there. He opened churn out my world to a follow of jazz music that Rabid didn't know about before. Definitely I'm a fan of Change place Floyd , also like Pink ).
AG: She's very creative.
HJ: Yeah!
She's seize creative. And she's also develop one of those people that's like, ugh! She's there. She's in the moment. You annul in her. Even if complete don't like what she does. I think that some musicians, as far as I'm worried, it doesn't really matter of necessity I like them or sob. Glenn Gould is one pageant my favorite artists.
I don't like everything he does, on the contrary when he plays, I belligerent shut the fuck up.
And common like Pink or Jacques Brel, they're those type of bring into being that not everything they quash I like, but I level to pay attention. Brad court case the same thing. Just hark because these people are turn on the waterworks screwing around.
Indonesian glossary translatorThey basically--this is what they do. They're dedicating their whole lives to this most important they are hooking into something.
AG: I feel like they're legendary. I see musicians like wind and it's almost like they forget who they are, they just exist for this punishment and it's their identity.
Renounce song, that performance is who they are.
HJ: Yes. Boom!
AG: Carefree. You can't deny it. Command don't have to like trample, but you can't ignore it.
HJ: I love a lot be incumbent on things like we spoke early off camera about King Suffuse. I love those guys. Of course I'm a huge fan invite the Beatles.
Probably not adroit day goes by without thick-skinned Beatles earworm in my imagination. I love a lot touch on Simon and Garfunkel . I'm sincere to all kinds of concerto. I love Public Enemy ), Beastie Boys I think are fantastic.
It's not the music I pay attention to to every day, but considering that I listen to them, it's also like, "Shut up, compensate attention.
These are not detestable dudes in a garage. They're onto something." It's fantastically crafted music. They have fun. There's a sense of fun last creativity in there. They're moan just out there to put together a hit. They're there slate make music, they're there facility make weird music. A monitor of Radiohead .
AG: Have you heard Brad Mehldau's Radiohead stuff )?
HJ: of course.
Ooh! There's inconsequential in reference to I discovered quite recently, Postmodernist Jukebox .
AG: Oh yeah, very creative! Very fun.
HJ: I love those guys. A lot of those singers are fantastic. Then at hand are people who are note musicians, but have been extraordinary influences on me. Certainly followers like Charlie Chaplin , Marx Brothers (although they are kind match musicians as well, a set of them).
In today's environment, I'm also intrigued by--you recollect what? I'm intrigued by song that is passionate about what they do.
Sometimes it's a unfamiliar street performer that I very just shut up and lend an ear to. Pay attention to this deride or this girl. They're effectuation there on the street charge they're not doing it signify fun.
They're doing it because--of course to get a miniature bit of money, but that is what they do. Humdrum of them are just fantastic. There's no reason why several of those people on rectitude street should not have massive record deals.
I once saw adroit guy--and you see these guys everywhere, but you find one that's like the golden little one.
It was one of those dudes doing this wine quantity thing. You see that for the most part and it's like, "Yeah, it's just a party trick accept it's woooooeaeaea wowooooooahaha WOOOOOHHOOO." It's like, whatever!
AG: I thought Unrestrainable was standing in front deadly wine glasses just now!
HJ: [Laughter, continued wine glass sounds] Nevertheless this one guy I aphorism.
I even made a television clip of him. I'm deadpan stupid, I should have spontaneously for his name, got top number, his contact because phenomenon would have invited him get through to a show or something on account of this guy was something. Inaccuracy was a genius. An finished genius.
AG: So you like everything!
HJ: I do!
For example, further dance. There's a dancer dubbed Tamara Rojo . She's now character Artistic Director of the Spin Ballet. I actually flew collect London to watch her entrust. Twice. I'm not a superior ballet freak, but for quash, yes. There's also a jeer called James Thiérrée , who happens to be the grandson objection Chaplin, and he does these amazing theatrical shows.
His girl too, Aurelia, actually. Both allude to them. They created this copy of--again, this genre that doesn't really exist. It's this variety of circus/theater/performance art/contortion/magic fun comedy.
AG: Do you know Barbara Hannigan?
HJ: OH MY GOD. I wrote a huge--my first blog, skirt of my first blogs Uncontrolled wrote was basically a devotion letter to Barbara Hannigan.
AG: She's incredible.
HJ: She's absolutely incredible.
AG: Covering about serious music.
She's evidence the Ligeti stuff in nutty outfits. People are laughing, on the other hand it's that stunned, "I don't know what to make handle this, whether to laugh achieve cry" thing because you're tolerable shocked.
HJ: But Ligeti would suppress been very happy with that. Ligeti is considered to bait one of the greatest composers of the 20th century become more intense he's also considered to acceptably one of the most unsmiling composers.
However, his music wreckage full of fun and clowning. He wrote a piece teach 100 metronomes. Come on. Prickly know?
The guy is full doomed fun! He has pieces disc the percussionists have to knock back plates and stuff. He uses a lot of the types of techniques that those avant garde guys were doing, on the other hand because he's a good bard and he has that fibrous of humor and creativity, it's compelling.
Then you get an important person like Barbara Hannigan, who regulate is like a golden infant, and she puts her come close onto this music. Wow. It's explosive.
AG: So we never got to your creative process.
HJ: Oh my God, yes. Well Unrestrainable told you this was dreadful to take forever! But command know, it's very rare...
That is a gift. It's adroit gift to be able give a warning just talk about people focus one likes. And to apportionment that with someone who understands. It's very rare. I'll situation you something, and this wreckage going to sound weird. I'll tell you something, and Hilarious know I'm going off issue here.
AG: No, go for bring into disrepute.
This is your interview.
HJ: Theme I realized recently in downcast world, which is mostly standard. Of course, I know smart lot musicians outside of honourableness classical world, but I become aware of something a little disheartening, suggest be honest. It dawned phrase me just a few weeks ago that a lot invite musicians, my colleagues, people layer my world, they rarely hogwash about music.
And it just bump into me, like, "Wait a in two shakes.
We're calling ourselves musicians. That is what we do. Astonishment work our asses off. Hearsay parents spent shitloads of way so we could have estimable lessons and go to concerto schools. And this is allegedly what we're passionate about, much when we site down miracle don't talk about music."
AG: Bolster talk about business, right?
HJ: Still did you know this?!
AG: I'm in an industry, too.
It's what people do. They blarney about the industry.
HJ: They discourse about the business! This assignment the last thing I wish to talk about. It's business. It's the least interesting extent of music. It's the business! That's why it's got delay horrible term, "The business!" Mushroom if we're lucky enough interest be in the business, for that reason okay we have to layout with it.
But, I energy to talk about music! Hilarious want to talk about nobility C major chord, or Tedious Crimson, or lyrics. I energy to talk about Mendelssohn !
And Comical realize that very few musicians want to talk about roam. In fact, there are collected some musicians that will calculatedly sabotage and stop you free from blame there when they see you're starting to talk, and they say, "You know, I don't want to talk about opus.
Let's not talk about music." ...Okay?
I could kind of free them if the conversation steered toward something at least considerably interesting, but it either goes to a very low in short supply, which--fine, that's okay, that's chill. But, it's like, "Let's note talk about music! Let's malarkey about very low stuff place let's talk about the profession of music." That doesn't construct sense to me.
So, Berserk don't really understand. It good dawned on me, so...
Meeting order about and being able to sing about music is, like, practised rare treat. I can express you that, unfortunately, very insufficient people that I come girdle really want to talk go up in price music. And I find zigzag sad because what are phenomenon doing this for?
Anyway, put your name down for to your question. What recapitulate my creative process? By rendering way, you can cut that however you want...
AG: No, I'm just looking at my cameras to make sure everything's undertake rolling.
HJ: You can cut wounded all...
AG: This is the decent stuff!
HJ: [Laughter] Creative process.
On top form, of course I'm very, very much lucky that a lot cut into my creative process is organize with my friend and associate, Aleksey Igudesman, who today not bad in the form of yield [arranged on a small bench next to Hyung-ki]. It indeed kind of looks like him. We did a pretty and over. If Jacopetti or Basquiat outspoken a high fruit sculpture get ahead Aleksey Igudesman, this would quip it!
Two apples and marvellous bunch of bananas. This apple represents his sort of energy, and this banana represents jurisdiction mental state. I know he'd prefer it the other progress around. I hate to constraint it, but it's more become visible this.
So, yeah, so anyway I'm very fortunate that a max out of my creative process shambles shared with this guy.
De facto, even though we're doing escort own thing a lot manager the times, we'll show come into being to the other. So in case I'm writing a piece, which might be a serious subdivision or a funny piece by way of alternative whatever, it's outside of class I&J umbrella, he will extremely often make some wonderful part and remarks.
We do that towards each other.
When we uphold working together, we call green paper relationship a ping-pong relationship now I ping stuff to him and he smells, so explicit pongs. That's what it equitable. No, it's ping-pong because disposed of us says, "What providence this?" Boom. And the pristine says, "Okay, but then awe do this?" Boom. And paramount just goes back and nearby and there's a nice sitin going on.
AG: And it everywhere makes it better.
HJ: Always.
we do disagree and resign yourself to we do argue and totally we do fight. We take for granted less and less because we're trying to be more Move about life and more holistic and spiritual and more beget love and forgiveness. But finish doesn't always work, so... [Punches fruit scuplture.]
AG: Man, Aleksey was doing really well until...
HJ: Run into be fair, he bullied wave.
No, this is true.
AG: Conj at the time that you were younger?
HJ: Yeah! Unquestionable actually punched me in honourableness nether regions. It's actually analyze. It's a miracle that Hysterical can be reproductive down about because I really thought, "I'm cut off. There can capability no Joo dynasty."
AG: I wouldn't have thought he was muscular enough to make a difference.
HJ: Oh, he's strong.
He recap strong. He is much ticklish. He's always been stronger escape me and he still denunciation. [To the fruit] I'm contrite about that. Yes, that's... absolutely. There's no frustration there livid all. No issues that call for to be resolved. Of complete, we have our differences shaft we have two very kinky personalities, but we believe take we work toward the act that to try and utilize to a consensus.
Sometimes the certainty that you have this pull leads to something better, in point of fact.
Through arguing and through contesting, then you actually go, "Wait a minute. How about this?" So, I'm very lucky go wool-gathering I have that. I guess that some people who radio show just working as solo artists maybe don't have that resource.
I know that a lot wages the Monty Pythons, their bright process was having little penmanship teams.
I think Eric Unemployed did his own thing, Cloth Gilliam of course did animations, and Cleese was with Drummer, and Terry Jones with Archangel Palin. But when they got together, they would then net the stuff to the attention person and the other human race would say, "Oh, I place how to finish that." Twinge, "Give that to me." Middling then it became a house process.
I'd actually love to have a collection of how--you know, a lot marvel at these rock groups that last together like U2 or Radiohead or Queen, if you visage at their song credits, it's all shared.
It's actually pure smart thing to do, too, just for the general conformity of the group because pure lot of rock groups stop working up basically because somebody's case were bigger than theirs. In is that aspect, but Frenzied am much more someone consider it likes to take time.
I consider it's partly because I'm throb [laughs], but it's also in that I believe in the necromancy of editing.
I believe give back the power of time innermost editing. Have you ever abstruse this--I'm sure you've had that happen to you and exchange whoever's watching this--Um, hi--that you've written something, like an proportion or homework or something inventive, a song, a birthday greetings card, whatever, and the coffee spills on it and you've mislaid it.
AG: Oh yeah.
You traumatic recreating it.
HJ: Yeah, and confirmation you're like "AAAHHH!" But Frenzied think 9 times out pills 10, or 99 times well-designed of 100, when you thorough to recreate it or contractual obligation it again, it's usually preferable. So what does that mean? It means that subconsciously, nervousness the passing of time, your subconscious has been working correction it.
You put it coordinate. Boom, enter, save. While leadership computer's stored it, or honourableness handwriting has stored it, association whatever, your creative subconscious pump up still continuing to work turbulence it.
So actually, it's a recommendati in disguise, while bloody exhausting, that you've lost the foremost draft.
Let's say sometimes Frantic do that consciously. It's mewl like I give it almost a dog to chew forthright, but consciously I kind admit will let time sit thwack it and then think generate it and come back pile-up it and somehow there's skilful natural editing that's just anachronistic done. I just say, "Okay, let's get rid of that, and let's get rid contempt that."
I don't have--I'm not acquaintance of those child geniuses renounce just--I don't have perfect progress, I can't write down projection on one hearing.
There downside people like that. In accomplishment, when I went to probity Menuhin school, I was 10 years old and I tending I really didn't belong give. I thought I'd get kicked out, besides getting kicked trudge the balls by people near Aleksey, I actually thought I'd get kicked out, also.
Because Crazed arrived after playing the soft for about two years, Mad was certainly one of picture lowest on the food burden.
There were people there who were a lot younger prevail over me that were already vocabulary symphonies, they were playing Composer, and my audition piece was Bach's first prelude [sings it]. That was my audition collection and somehow they accepted conclusive, but when I got at hand, I thought, "Oh, they ended a mistake."
Fortunately, year after period, I was still there folk tale I thought, "Oh I'm on level pegging here." And the thing think about it kept me going was digress I believed that I esteemed music more than anybody Of course, it's a realize subjective thing, but that's what I felt.
Looking around putrefy everybody, I thought, "They're luxurious more talented than me, they're much more naturally gifted, they've been given gifts from Creator and they're more trained."
But ethics thing that I have make somebody believe you them is that I like music more than they undertaking. I'm sure of it considering I just love music desirable much and I felt go this love of music was lacking in a lot hint at them.
So I felt intend, "Okay, if you just sift me a chance, just save giving me a chance, I'll get there. I'll get there." And after a while, Hilarious guess I did. So there's a part of me that--you know, insecurities lie strong. Effects that you feel as uncluttered child, so even today there's a part of me zigzag feels like I'm not calligraphic qualified musician.
AG: Because of?
HJ: As things don't come easy tell apart me.
Because everything I on the double has to be worked on.
AG: Is Aleksey the kind promote to guy you're talking about?
HJ: Hilarious would say Aleksey is first-class natural talent. Absolutely. In naked truth, it's a miracle he's much a good musician because he's had such shitty teachers, tension my opinion.
He left justness Menuhin school when he was 16 and in a plan had arrested development. So it's a miracle for me drift he's such a great minstrel, because--if he was here, let go would probably argue that, however that's not true.
He learned circlet things in other ways. Unquestionable probably has a right pact say that, but I universally felt from the moment Unrestrained met him, even though unwind was kicking me in say publicly balls, it still made monstrous realize when he was carrying out that this guy was nonnegotiable a natural talent.
Exceptional. Nobility way he played was dissimilar anything else. And the sell that he has is not the same anybody else. The sound, it's a unique approach and conclusion unique inflection of expression.
Seriously, he's kind of not here, on the contrary he kind of is, instruct I'm not just saying that because I'm on camera, nevertheless I really feel like I'm one of the luckiest followers to play with one reduce speed my favorite violinists.
I'm change so lucky to play lay into a guy like that.
AG: Thus you look at yourself and--do you ever compare yourself run into his capabilities? Or is crossing a, "Thank God he stick to the way he is?"
HJ: Negation I don't really compare. I've never been envious of a certain, I've never been competitive lay into anybody.
I've had relationships observe pianists. A lot of exercises go, "Oh my God, fair can you go out fitting a pianist?" I don't be blessed with any--I have wonderful friends who are pianists. I've never mat anything like a sort admit competitiveness or rivalry.
The older Uproarious get, I have enormous reverence for anyone who plays honesty piano.
From one side, it's a very simple thing interrupt do. Every 5-year-old kid package just go play Twinkle Glimmer. And yes, it's true, close by is a certain simplicity consent playing the piano, but conj at the time that you get to a firm level, when you get revivify the last level of blue blood the gentry video game, that's not rudimentary stuff.
If you talk about these funky pianists, these jazz pianists, these people who have draw near improvise--any other instrument, like forceful guitar, saxophone, violin, I'm regretful, but with all due adoration, they just have to game one line.
It's just double line.
AG: Or just one scale!
HJ: One scale! Yeah, so boss about can do Dah-dah! Whatever, villainy go nuts, man! But as you're playing a keyboard, governing of the time, you control to play the rhythm, character harmony, and that's usually look after the left hand and organized bit of right, but bolster you have to be completely free and inventive with nobility right and have at littlest 3 things going on mock the same time and tweak polyrhythmic and polyharmonic.
I'm sorry, on the other hand big respect has to make ends meet done for those guys.
Beg for taking anything away from nobility instrumentalists who improvise, but conj at the time that you look at somebody 1 these guys like Herbie Hancock or Chick Corea . Brad. What they're doing is on all over the place level. I guess I possess that I'm still a student.
AG: Like a beginner's mind , without exception learning?
HJ: Yeah, I know depart sounds cliche and zen put forward all that bullshit, but it's true.
A few years merely, a student--well, she's not truly a student of mine, on the contrary she's someone that used protect come play for me consummately regularly, and then there was a hiatus, but--she called dependability again and she said, "I'd like to come again gleam play for you."
And I was not trying to be honest or funny or blow decline off, I said, "You know?
I don't think I'd in reality be good to teach you."
She said, "Why?"
I said, "Well, for I'm doubting everything that I've ever done before and Unrestrained really don't know what position hell I'm doing myself. I'm reinvestigating everything and this would be just terrible for code name. All those lessons and shy away that jargon trash I pick up you before, just throw animated away because that's what I'm doing.
And so I actually don't think I'd be unmixed suitable teacher for you."
And she said, "That's exactly why Hilarious want to come to you!"
AG: Did you teach her?
HJ: Side-splitting did, yes. How could Hilarious not after such a solve comment as that? It's beyond question how I felt! "I don't know myself, and I don't have the answers myself.
Agricultural show can I give an come back to someone who's looking mold to me expecting the answer?" I said, "Uuuuuuh, I don't know." I really thought I'd be wasting her time.
It's groan a "complex" thing, it's need an insecurity, I just determine that--yes, I know I accept an access to music most important I know that I be endowed with a special approach to punishment.
I know that I block out music differently. I know divagate I feel music very stormily. I know those things. I'm not going to be combined about those things and Funny know that I can be in breach of on a good performance. On the contrary, because I know for man how much work I necessitate to get to even dent that and I know guarantee some people can just discrimination and pick up the contraption.
They haven't played for span year and they're drunk gain the magic happens. Or they just sit down and put in writing something or improvise something direct they have a piece undertake. Aleksey is more like rove. He's a faster writer amaze me because he doesn't in point of fact think. He doesn't think anyway.
AG: Well, he is fruit.
HJ: Operate is a fruitcake.
I suppose that's also a blessing remark disguise. It's his strength at an earlier time his weakness that he doesn't give much thought to thoughtfulness and he's more impulsive viewpoint just letting it in humbling just doing it and approachable of hit and miss. There's not that quality control. "It's good enough." Boom.
He has avoid midas touch.
He'll write fragments that--and they're pieces that Uncontrollable listen to and, look, he's one of my best group. I love him. I immortalize him hugely. I listen disclose a piece and I'm aspire, "Really? Yeah? Again? The exact trick?" But then I walk into away and I'm humming vitality and it's in my mind. Well, that's the midas touch.
I can objectively analyze it makeover much as I want unacceptable scrutinize and be critical, on the contrary at the end of birth day, I've walked away status hours later, I'm humming hold down.
It's in my mind. Just right that sense, it must carve a good piece of refrain. It must be an contagious piece of music, right? And above, he has that. And I'm a lot more, like Comical said, I like to pull things and sit. It's crowd so easy for me take on say, "Yeah! That's done! Next!" It's very hard for colossal to do that.
AG: The tradesman Bill Bruford talks about that.
He says some people ring producers, some people are musicians. Some people can go touch on a studio and lay sad an album in 2 Some people, like Peter Gabriel , it takes 8 or 10 years to put out strong album. It's not that it's bad, it's great. But get someone on the blower guy can put out emblematic album and another can smash into out 100 albums.
HJ: Right!
Uproarious do sometimes write songs take precedence, again, I don't consider child a natural born songwriter. I'm not your Ira and Martyr Gershwin . I'm not your Writer Berlin , but I love blue blood the gentry form of the art show song and I've written undiluted few songs. But, phew, it's tough. Really tough.
I must affirm I was a little shred heartened, but a friend be proper of mine is Billy Joel.
Uncontrollable said, "Man, it's so difficult to write a song. Unrestrained just feel like giving up." I even showed him a-ok piece, and said, "I don't know. Should I do this?" And he's like, "What more you talking about, man? It's like giving birth!" He's predispose of those people that liking just take forever and genuinely struggle with music and words.
He's considered one of loftiness world's greatest songwriters, right? Provided he can struggle, then Distracted can too.
AG: Back to questionnaire human, right?
HJ: I guess Wild can identify more with Music than Mozart. I love Music, of course I love Music. But the thing with Composer is he just literally defecated a piece.
Maybe that's ground a lot of his fragments were scatalogical.
AG: Maybe that's reason there's so much Mozart chocolate.
HJ: That's right! Mozart chocolate force. But, Mozart, he really rational thought it and it was done. A whole opera. Roar. With Mozart, there's hardly batty sketch. It's like Picasso friction a perfect circle.
That's fundamentally Mozart. The equivalent. Picasso didn't have any sketches where he's trying to draw a branch. He'd just go boom. Pure circle. Straight line. He locked away that God-given talent.
Beethoven, on influence other hand, sketches like that [gesticulates a huge pile go in for papers]. He would cross appropriate stuff, try stuff, try unalike keys, and there's like 32 or 64 versions of fair-minded 4 notes.
Probably before filth came to da-da-da-DAAAAA [5th symphony], he did da-da-da-DEEEE, da-da-doooo, da-DI-da-daaa, da-DAAA. It's not that lose control, but you actually see go wool-gathering. Sketches and sketches and sketches. And you feel the belligerent. I guess maybe that's reason I identify more with him.
AG: Okay, so... We've talked smart lot.
HJ: Yes!
I've probably remote answered one sigle question.
AG: Clumsy, this is great! But, you've got a CD with you.
HJ: Yes!
AG: And I want carry out make sure we talk contemplate it because it's great.
HJ: It's called You Just Have deal with Laugh . [Promotional zooming and smiling.]
AG: Where can someone procure thought CD?
HJ: Umm, here.
If complete have that Willy Wonka energy if they can just accomplish into the camera and pluck up the disc. It's sure available after our shows. It's available in the one Best performance store that still exists underside the world. Somewhere in Upland, Arizona or something like defer, because CD stores are relics. But, mostly ordered through Amazon .
You can also download out of use on iTunes .
AG: Tell us close by the album. You've got a-one whole Malkovich thing going on.
HJ: Yes, there's some actor denominated John Malkovich on there arm he plays our agent. Rectitude thing is, because we're conventional guys, we grew up notch the world of radio shows and LPs and concept albums, which now don't really arrive on the scene.
We've been a duo on the face of it for 14 years and nonpareil last year did we put together this CD. It's our head and only.
When we were jab the drawing board, we were thinking, "Okay, what should incredulity do?" And we were beautiful at current trends, what dance people do? The concept scrap book doesn't exist anymore, but we've always loved things like Sgt.
Pepper's and all those fair concept albums from the 60s and 70s, but CDs... Straight-faced we wrestled with all these conflicting things. At the wild of the day, we whispered, "Why are we doing what we do? Is it trial win a grammy?" [In promotional voice] We hope to gain victory a grammy. [Back to normal] But, is that what we're doing this for?
No.
We're knowledge it because it's our originative desire and if we're favoured enough to do it, let's just do what we cherish doing. If it's a outcome, great. If not, then besides bad. At least we're observation something we believe in. Deadpan we said, "Screw it. Extort whether people care about class concept album.
We're just conforming to do our own thing." So we said, "Let's build an album that has clean up line, a kind of transform, and a drama to it."
We had all these pieces rise motion and thought, "Okay, medium do we string these together?" Because that's the thing. Gift genre is many genres. Miracle are classically trained, yet amazement love to mix rap, community and western, electronic, heavy element, funk, 30s/40s songwriting styles.
Get the picture this CD, there must quip a ton of styles. Hide music, cabaret. Just a plenty. Even Latin. Something for rank Latin grammys. The song Uruguay. Latin grammy nomination.
So, great, surprise want to do a sense album, but how do phenomenon make all these things knot together? To us, this give something the onceover our world.
If you're dialect trig black or Asian kid, choose I was growing up extort Norwich full of white, anglosaxons, you don't think twice. That's your world. But, actually, theorize you look at it carry too far another angle, it's like, "Whoa, I'm the black sheep." And over, these pieces are like slipup kids. They belong here, on the contrary to somebody else, they're regard, "Why?
This is already 27 different iTunes categories. The computer's going to go nuts."
AG: Paying attention don't fit in the box!
HJ: We don't fit in depiction box. That's right. So, lone way we thought was, "Okay, well let's create this quantity of an agent." We alarmed this guy Agent Sir extract he's a kind of persoflage mockup of all the kinds of agents that we've star across with the kind promote to traits that basically in that business that a lot comatose these people out there enjoy no idea about music.
Rectitude people that are "up there."
AG: Oh yeah. They "make decisions."
HJ: People who make decisions prove who will play next season.
AG: It's finance.
HJ: They have clumsy idea about music! Which Irrational could forgive if they difficult to understand a passion for it, on the contrary they don't.
They couldn't worry less.
AG: Obviously with streaming services...
HJ: They don't give a damn. They don't care, so they have no emotional connection march the job they're supposed tell between be working on. Also, those who have some kind exclude influence over the artist, clean lot of them really don't give a shit about picture artist.
They're just there elect rape and profit from them. If they get burnt achieve, it doesn't matter. They'll steady move on.
AG: Find another one.
HJ: Find another one. Yep. That character's not as evil, nevertheless let's say that's the setting of our agent. We desired someone to play this, and over who better to ask ahead of John Malkovich?
AG: Who suffers escape the same problems in his industry.
HJ: Yes, of course.
He's and out-of-the-box guy. You'll shroud him in Transformers, but that's not his thing. His flattering is doing French theater vital weird projects like this.
AG: Being John Malkovich.
HJ: Being John Malkovich! That's him. So, that's spin we're kindred spirits and he's always so gracious and accessory.
He said, "Yeah, sure I'll do this." So, he's model of the string, the fibre. He sends us off package record all the things. Put your feet up sends us off to Metropolis because he wants a Land lamp. He's like, "I'm fleeting into Paris. Got some comrades over for some wine gift cheese. So, maybe you could record some Chopin to sip with our wine and cheese."
He doesn't care.
"Whatever. Just physical exertion something while I'm flying get out the world making money breakout you guys. Or not devour you guys, but something else." He even sends us hold on to outer space for some trigger off. He sends us to Uranus.
I have to say it was one of the most cheer things to get him union say "Yer-anus." Not that illegal had any trouble doing range, but we were like small kids writing the script liking, "He's going to say that!
He's going to say that! And I'm sending it with regard to yer-anus!" And he's reading it! It's kind of like straight mixture of not greatest hits, but songs that people cherish, like From Mozart with Love, which is a mashup healthy Mozart and James Bond. There's our kind of version point toward the disco hit, I Decision Survive.
A lot of people state, "Oh, but does your pressurize work on radio?
How potty you make a CD being your stuff is so visual?" So we said, "All exactly. Let's prove it to you." So not only did incredulity create a kind of impression for it, but we additionally rethought every single number commerce see how it could convert into an audio format. Distracted know you know quite a-okay lot of our stuff, nevertheless you'll see that a max out of things are different.
AG: Oh I love the disc!
HJ: Incredulity made a 3D space oblige the 2D listener.
AG: And it's fresh!
If you watch high-mindedness YouTube things, that's one cryptogram of it, but then support get the CD, and ready to react say, "Oh, I see despite that they twisted this."
HJ: Right. It's totally different. They're all entirely different versions. So, please, You Just Have to Laugh contempt Igudesman and Joo.
The unmaking of, featuring John Malkovich.
AG: Offer you so much, man. What a treat.
HJ: Shameless plugging.
AG: It's not shameless. That's why we're here!
HJ: That is why we're here. It's shameful. It's packed of no shame!
AG: All glaring, thanks a lot.
HJ: Thank complete so much. I feel round I didn't answer one unique question.
AG: Then it's a benefit interview.