RIYADH: French pianist Paul Lay brought a whimsical blend of jazz and classical music to the halls of the Cultural Palace in Riyadh’s multinational Diplomatic Quarters this week, premiering his newest album, Full Solo, for the first time in Riyadh.
His first solo album unfolded on Saudi listeners in a crescendo of raw passion on a Maeari piano, as Lay channeled one of his idols in distinctive covers of Ludwig van Beethoven’s greatest classical hits.
His performance included the beloved “Symphonie No. 7” and variations of “In Vienna,” reimagined with a twist of jazz and blues elements.
“I’m a jazz pianist, but I also studied a lot of classical music. For this repertoire, I tried to make the right combination to mix the written music and the improvised music. The idea is how to make new forms by playing this beautiful music by Beethoven,” Lay told Arab News.
Paralleling the objectives of the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, the French Embassy aims to spotlight established and emerging foreign talents in all sectors, especially music, in an effort to build bridges between the two countries. Lay began the show by playing variations of both the Saudi and French national anthems.
In partnership with the Alliance Française and the Diplomatic Quarter Authority, the event acts as an elemental opportunity to open up the floor for cultural discourse: French artist, Lay, recreates the iconic symphonies of German Beethoven, reconstructed through a Jazz-based lens, a genre of music that originates from the African-American communities of New Orleans — all broadcast to Saudi listeners.
“That’s the main purpose of music for me: To meet people from different cultures, but we gather the same vibes,” Lay said.
Joining the artist onstage for a surprise performance was Saudi opera singer and vocal coach Sawsan Al-Bahiti, who collaborated with Lay on presenting a cover of “Leila Law Bagi Leila” by Saudi singer Abdel Rab Idris and another in Spanish.
“It was a wonderful exchange of culture . . . I believe music is an international language; no matter what the words are, the melody is the fundamental of this language. This night is pure proof to this testimony,” Al-Bahiti told Arab News.
The opera singer expressed a feeling of familiarity with Lay as they performed onstage. While they only met the night prior, the two’s love for music made the delivery seamless.
“I believe any two musicians, if they know each other or not, when they hear each other, and they have this calmness and openness for other musicians to join, magic is created,” she said.
The night ended with standing ovations for the two onstage and a call for an encore.
The acclaimed French artist was dubbed “the most brilliant jazz pianist of his generation” by critics. In addition to revolutionizing the concept of soloism, he won multiple awards for his unconventional blend of genres — most prominently the “Best French Musician of the Year” award by the French Jazz Academy.
Lay began his journey as a student at the Conservatoire Superieur National de Musique et de Danse, later becoming a teacher at the institute. As he studied the jazz legends, their influence was strong enough to create one out of him.
The marriage between classical music and jazz was prompted by the music festival La Folle Journee de Nantes. The festival yearly takes place in the city of Nantes, under the patronage of a different classical musician. In 2020, Lay was selected to carry on the tradition, which happened to be the 250th anniversary of Beethoven’s birthday.
In preparation for the album, Lay spent a few months soaking up Vienna’s emotional pull, where the iconic composer spent much of his time creating the timeless classics.
Inspired by the harmonious feel of the town, Lay, in his deciphering of Beethoven’s greatest hits, found that the purposeful notes lend themselves to the blues genre effortlessly.
“Beethoven is a great master of silence and suspense, which is what I needed to keep while improvising . . . Silence is as important as the notes in the music. That was the main goal, and on the other side, to keep the right form,” Lay said about the experience.
Birthed was Lay’s sixth album, “Full Solo,” which reached top sales for jazz/blues at the French retail chain Fnac last year.
The word mystery is one often used to describe the nature of Beethoven’s music — and not a foreign one to Lay. The artist studied the music carefully to be able to sustain the integrity of the sonatas while also adding his own flare.
“Mystery in music is one of the keys, but we don’t really control that, it’s the way we play and the way we keep a distance as well. It’s beyond words.
“When I feel really good, I forget that I’m playing, and the music takes me, and I fly with the instrument,” he said.
