EXCLUSIVE: Lovingly yours, Richard Clayderman

Richard Clayderman will shower Pinoys with romantic music in Manila this November

Remember that music playing in the background whenever the late Helen Vela would read letters on “Lovingly Yours, Helen” back in the ’80s?

The man behind that piano piece “Ballade pour Adeline (Ballad for Adeline)” will be bringing his “romantique” repertoire to his Pinoy fans come November. Dubbed “The Prince of Romance” by former US First Lady Nancy Reagan, he is none other than the world’s best-selling pianist, Richard Clayderman.

IOU, Pilipino

For some, his music was bigger than the pianist himself. This is the reason Clayderman owes part of his international success to the Filipinos.

Asked if he is aware of the impact “Ballade pour Adeline” made on Philippine TV, Clayderman exclaimed, “Yes, of course! I’m glad that my music was used for TV, for a background (theme on ‘Lovingly Yours, Helen’). It was heartwarming for me. I’m very glad, really.”

Clayderman’s Philippine concert is his way of giving back to his Filipino supporters. “I’ll be able to see my fans and all perform for them. They helped me and my career, the Philippines.”

He consider his first single “Ballade pour Adeline” as one of his biggest hits.

“It’s a nice work for me, nice work all the team that worked for me. It’s incredible for me that the melody has touched people all around the world,” he said.

“Ballade pour Adeline” made Clayderman the world’s best-selling pianist with 22 million album copies sold. His distinctive piano style has earned him superstar status all over the world. Clayderman has recorded over 1,200 melodies to date.

“I am not a composer… I’m just an interpreter and all my original classics have been composed either by Paul de Senneville or by Olivier Toussaint who are also my record producers. The three of us make a good team,” he clarified. It was Paul who composed “Ballade pour Adeline,” a tribute to his new born daughter Adeline.

Everything Nice

Clayderman is proud of his latest album, “Romantique,” with its “nice melody, nice repertoire” that allowed him to “play my old sensitiveness.”

He is awe of Pinoy talent. “For my concert in Manila, I have decided to perform with large section of Filipino string players. I am convinced that I will have a super string section cooperating with me. We will perform some of my original classics as well as a large selection of movie themes, love songs, musicals as well as one or two classical pieces, one jazz theme…

The pianist added: “I want my show in Manila to be at the same time very romantic, very emotional but also very joyful and full of life and happiness.”

Say It Through Music

Clayderman finds it difficult to analyze the secret to his success.

“My way of being is music. Playing piano has touched people. Always, I try to bring my sensitiveness, my own style when I play the piano. This is why I’m different…because of my music, I’m able to touch more people with my music. I’m difficult to speak (English) so my music is my style of expressing myself.”

The French pianist finds it amusing that he is still referred to by many as “The Prince of Romance.”

“It’s not appropriate anymore because I’m 59 years old! Maybe it should be ‘King’? I’m joking (laughs). It’s a great privilege, really.”

EXCLUSIVE: Lovingly yours, Richard Clayderman

Source: Mb.com.ph (October 12, 2013 at 08:00AM)

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